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NKY volunteers spreading info on beating heroin addiction

Posted at 4:30 AM, May 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-19 04:30:38-04

ERLANGER, Ky. -- This weekend, Kenton County volunteers will hit the streets of Erlanger with information on tackling heroin addiction.

NKY Door Hangers Against Heroin have been putting their information on door knobs across Northen Kentucky to let people know who to call to help someone addicted to heroin.

"This is one piece," Kenton County Judge-Executive Kris Knochelmann said. "If the person gets the flier and reads it, and they get a little more educated about it, that's better than they were the day before, right?"

Kenton County and the City of Erlanger are teaming up for a blitz on Sunday. They're targeting 10,000 homes.

The fliers include a hotline number and other vital information because, officials say, the heroin epidemic is so critical.

"It's more than playing with fire. I mean, it's like playing with a nuclear weapon," Knochelmann said. "It really destroyes people immediately."

At the ER at St. Elizabeth Edgewood, they have seen the heroin crisis firsthand. They say it's not getting any better.

Ashel Kruetzkamp keeps track of the heroin overdose cases they see at St. Elizabeth. There were already 586 cases between January and March of this year. They're on track to hit 2,000 by December, compared to 1,584 last year.

"As much education as we can get in the community is huge," Kruetzkamp said.

Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties are working on an effort to address heroin addiction together. Additional door hanger campaigns are scheduled for the summer in Independence and Covington.

Click here for more information about the Addiction Services Council.