Ohio governor to talk about drug epidemic

August 25, 2016 at 12:17 a.m. | Updated August 25, 2016 at 12:30 a.m.

by Associated Press

FILE – In this Feb. 11, 2016, file photo, Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor of the Ohio Supreme Court speaks during a forum sponsored by The Associated Press in Columbus, Ohio. Seeking to coordinate efforts to battle drug abuse in some of the hardest-hit U.S. states, state Supreme Court justices and other high-ranking officials were meeting in Cincinnati from Wednesday through Friday, Aug. 24 to 26, 2016, during a private conference opened by O'Connor of the Ohio Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins, File)
FILE – In this Feb. 11, 2016, file photo, Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor of the Ohio Supreme Court speaks during a forum sponsored by The Associated Press in Columbus, Ohio. Seeking to coordinate efforts to battle drug abuse in some of the hardest-hit U.S. states, state Supreme Court justices and other high-ranking officials were meeting in Cincinnati from Wednesday through Friday, Aug. 24 to 26, 2016, during a private conference opened by O'Connor of the Ohio Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins, File)

CINCINNATI (AP) - Ohio Gov. John Kasich (KAY'-sik) will talk about Ohio's drug problems and efforts at a judicial summit involving authorities from nine states.

He'll speak Thursday in Cincinnati to the Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative. It's aimed at improving cooperation across borders and jurisdictions in battling opioid abuse, mainly from prescription painkillers and heroin.

Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor hopes the summit that began Wednesday begins ongoing collaboration.

Participating are Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia were among the five states with the highest rates of 2014 drug overdose deaths. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia were among 14 states the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified with significant drug overdose death rate increases from 2013 to 2014.

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