Prescription drug abuse prevention summit set

The sixth annual Arkansas Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Summit will be held Nov. 9 at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced the summit last month while addressing the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police annual convention in Hot Springs.

On Thursday, Rutledge’s office issued a news release stating that a record 950 people have already taken advantage of early bird registration for the summit. The release said registration is still open, but seating is limited for the event, which is a free training and educational opportunity for law enforcement officers, medical professionals, pharmacists and educators.

Members of the general public may also attend and will have the opportunity to hear from experts regarding prescription drug abuse prevention and treatment, the release said.

“Combating the prescription drug abuse epidemic is a top priority of mine, and I know law enforcement, medical professionals, pharmacists and educators share that commitment,” Rutledge said in the release. “Too many of our loved ones are losing this battle every day. Through collaborative and educational efforts like this summit, our state can work to defeat this crisis.”

The all-day summit will include breakout sessions on timely topics, including resources available to prescribers and the growing heroin and fentanyl epidemic. After lunch, additional breakout sessions will discuss medicated assisted treatments, the use of Naloxone and the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

Rutledge will host a luncheon, which will include a presentation from new State Drug Director Kirk Lane.

Afternoon plenary sessions will highlight Arkansas’ action to combat the epidemic, including the Attorney General’s Prescription for Life program, the release said. The final session will feature a panel of parents who have lost children to the epidemic or who have children now battling addition.

In addition to the attorney general’s office, the summit is being sponsored by the Arkansas Board of Pharmacy, Arkansas Division of Behavioral Health Services, Arkansas State Police, Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, office of the state drug director, Rotary Clubs of Arkansas, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute.