Jul 1, 2018 3 min read

From 2012 through 2017, drug overdose deaths in Fayette County jumped from 14 to 77.

That’s a 450 percent increase over five years, according to Overdose FreePA, a website hosted by the University of Pittsburgh.

The percentage increase in Westmoreland County is lower at 147, though the number of those who lost the battle to addiction was higher. In 2012, 78 county residents died; by 2017, the number rose to 193.

In both counties, the number of those who died from drug overdoses in those five years accounted for just over 7 percent of the population loss in each area as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Just let those numbers sit for a minute.

Whoever says that’s only an increase of 63 people in Fayette or only an increase of 115 people in Westmoreland can’t possibly have watched someone they’ve known slip away into addiction, their personality eaten up by a need for drugs. They can’t have been personally touched by the scourge that sits heavily across far too many residents in our commonwealth. It encompasses all drug addiction, but of utmost concern to all is opioid addiction.

Our newspaper recognized there was a serious issue with drugs in Fayette and surrounding counties several years ago, publishing nearly five dozen stories over two separate series.

We talked to parents struggling with their addicted children and children struggling with their addicted parents. We spoke to those who run social service programs and treatment centers, to those in the court system, law enforcement community and emergency responders. We talked to officials from different churches. We talked to people who made it out of addiction, and those still in its clutches.

The stories told our readers hard truths, but in doing so, we found an endless list of people who were trying to fight the good fight. They all wanted to find a solution that works.

Across not just the state, but the nation, people recognize there is a problem.

We want them to know there is also hope.

This week, dozens of Pennsylvania newspapers came together to highlight stories of optimism from counties all across the state.

The initiative is a joint effort of the Pennsylvania Associated Press Media Editors, the Pennsylvania Society of New Editors and the Pennsylvania Associated Press.

The Herald-Standard proudly contributed local stories to this project, emphasizing strides made in our coverage area to combat drug addiction. Over the next week, our pages will contain several stories from the across the state. They tell of innovative programs, overcoming addiction and communities pulling together.

We hope you’ll take the time to read them and find solace in knowing that there are people all over Pennsylvania dedicated to the fight against addiction. We hope you’ll consider how you might join in the fight.

By working together and learning from one another, we can effect change.

We must.