Deliberative Dialogue: What Should We Do About the Opioid Epidemic?

Monday, Feb. 24 at 4:30 p.m. in Lakeside 212, Moseley Student Center

Drug abuse, a problem the United States has faced for decades, has sharply taken a more lethal turn with the rise of opioids—both legal painkillers, such as oxycodone and fentanyl, and illegal ones like heroin. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under 50. More than 64,000 Americans were killed by drug overdoses in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control. That is worse than the death toll at the peak of the HIV epidemic in 1995 and more than the number of U.S. combat deaths in the entire Vietnam War.

A Deliberative Dialogue is an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to gather together to exchange diverse views and experiences to seek a shared understanding of a challenge facing our society and to search for common ground for action. This spring’s dialogue will focus on the topic of the opioid crisis. The opioid epidemic sweeping the country affects virtually every American, directly or indirectly, often in deeply personal ways. This model has been established by the National Issues Forum, a nonpartisan, nationwide network of locally sponsored public forums for the consideration of public policy issues.

Advance registration is required at this link.

Sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement and Council on Civic Engagement.