ARIZONA NEWS

Arizona Attorney General’s Office issues $400,000 to fight opioid abuse

Jun 22, 2018, 12:48 PM

A display representing a medicine cabinet informs visitors to a memorial by the National Safety Cou...

A display representing a medicine cabinet informs visitors to a memorial by the National Safety Council with data about opioids, Monday, Jan. 29, 2018, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

PHOENIX — The Arizona Attorney General’s Office issued $400,000 in grants to community organizations throughout the state to fight opioid abuse.

The two-year grant program is expected to help educate more than 13,000 students in middle school and above about the dangers of opioid addiction.

“We think that this will impact hundreds of parents … (and) thousands of students, as well as coaches, curriculum coordinators,” Attorney General Mark Brnovich told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday.

“And so this is our effort to try to educate the community, not just here in Phoenix but throughout the state.”

Grants went to three organizations in different counties: Chicanos Por La Causa (Pima County) received $133,411, Intermountain Centers (Pinal) received $160,990, and MATFORCE (Yavapai) received $104,030.

There were 17 organizations that applied for the funding, which came from a settlement with a pharmaceutical company over prescription drug marketing.

Brnovich said education is a key component to fighting the opioid crisis.

“By the time these cases get to the attorney general’s office, frankly it’s too late,” Brnovich said.

“As prosecutors, we can prosecute people for breaking the law, but as a community, as a state, we need to do more on the front end to educate and prevent people from becoming involved with opioids in the first place.”

Brnovich said the grants are part of an ongoing effort to combat the problem.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jeremy Foster contributed to this report.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

fatal shooting southeast Phoenix one man dead...

Payne Moses

Police investigating fatal shooting that left 1 man dead in southeast Phoenix

Phoenix police are investigating a fatal shooting in southeast Phoenix on Friday that left one man dead. The incident is being viewed as an act of self-defense.

7 hours ago

Phoenix woman hit killed by car West Phoenix...

Payne Moses

Woman dead after hit by car while crossing street in west Phoenix

An adult woman was struck and killed by a car on Friday while crossing a street in west Phoenix, authorities said.

7 hours ago

I17 Bumble Bee bridge ADOT construction Feb. 10-12 overnight...

Payne Moses

I-17 overnight closures next week to remove old Bumble Bee bridge

The southbound Interstate 17 will be closed overnight from Monday to Wednesday due to scheduled reconstruction of the Bumble Bee bridge.

8 hours ago

asthma GSK Arizona AG Kris Mayes sues for exploiting drug maker...

Payne Moses

Arizona AG accuses asthma drug maker of scheming to avoid Medicaid rebates

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on Thursday sued drug producer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for harm done to asthma patients by discontinuing a long-time product.

10 hours ago

According to a recent study, film production in the metro Phoenix area generated $29.1 million in e...

David Veenstra

2024 film projects made $29.1M in economic impact on Phoenix area, new report says

According to a recent study, film production in the metro Phoenix area generated $29.1 million in economic impact in 2024.

12 hours ago

Tucson border patrol...

Roxanne De La Rosa

3 men arrested near Tucson after fleeing from Border Patrol

Tucson Border Patrol agents arrested three men on Tuesday near the southern border, after they tried to flee from law enforcement.

14 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax

How to optimize the most money in 2024 tax returns

As tax season begins, getting your financials in order is important to maximize your tax return.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How IRAs are a helpful tool in retirement planning

When it comes to retirement planning, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) can be a great tool for income growth.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to start your retirement planning early and avoid costly mistakes

Retirement planning can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, you can avoid costly pitfalls.

Arizona Attorney General’s Office issues $400,000 to fight opioid abuse