Statistics show us the drug overdose epidemic sweeping the nation is happening here in Butler County as well- 74 people died from overdoses last year and we’re on track for more deaths in 2017. But still, the stigma remains it’s a ‘downtown Butler’ problem, a ‘city’ problem.
Cranberry Township officials gathered for a community forum Thursday night to say that is simply not true.
“It’s happening here,” Sgt. Chuck Mascellino of the Cranberry Township Police Department said Thursday. “A few of the reasons I think we’ve seen in increase in overdoses is we have very easy access to Pittsburgh. We also have kids that have vehicles and money to spend…and that’s the truth.”
Data shows there were 16 drug overdoses in Cranberry in 2012. There have been 16 so far this year, and we’re not even half way through it.
Mascellino also pointed out that his officers have seen a huge uptick in retail theft, which he says is also directly related to drugs.
“Our biggest property crime in Cranberry is retail theft,” he said. “Ninety-five percent of those retail thefts are heroin related.”
Austin Mathew, a 21-year-old Seneca Valley High School graduate, shared his story of addiction, and recovery. Mathew has now been sober for eight months.
“I’m here to tell you life gets better,” he said.
The program Thursday is the fifth such forum in recent months to educate the public about the drug and opioid abuse problem facing Butler County.
