A big bump for an anti-opioid war chest

The members of the Oconee task force responding to the opioid epidemic received a pleasant surprise today.  They found out that their $1.6 million budget has been enhanced by an extra $1.2 million.  Which bring to nearly $3 million the war chest that the Oconee Opioid Response Task Force may use locally to combat misuse of the pain-relieving medicine.  According to Dr. Aaron Zeller, task force chairman, the money derives from the settlement involving the makers of the pharmaceutical industry found to have marketed opioids in appropriately.  And today the task force recommended $110 thousand to non-profit Play Safe Sports Medicine for a pilot program in Oconee’s three high schools that’ll educate athletes on the dangers of opioid addiction.  As Brandy Singleton, the Play Safe executive director, told the task force:  “The more we talk about it, the more we break the stigma.”