Gov. Tomblin to Hold Substance Abuse Summit in Martinsburg

With President Obama’s visit to Charleston just two short weeks ago, people and organizations across the state have responded to the President’s call to fight drugs and overdose deaths in West Virginia.

On Wednesday, Governor Tomblin continues this fight and travels to Martinsburg to host a summit with law enforcement and the community on substance abuse in the area.

Back in April, Senator Shelley Moore Capito visited Martinsburg to host a Drug Prevention Summit. During her visit, much of the community expressed concern about Berkeley County’s lack of treatment facilities and the rate at which heroin is trafficked throughout the county.

Berkeley County holds the number two spot for most heroin overdose deaths in the state, following Cabell County.

Now, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin visits Martinsburg to host his own summit on substance abuse and plans to take a comprehensive look at the state’s efforts to combat this problem in the Eastern Panhandle.

Berkeley County Sheriff Kenny Lemaster says he hopes the governor will bring new ideas to the table.

“There are things we can start doing with education; educating, you know within out school systems about the drugs, educating programs outside the school system, trying to help set up addiction facilities, and then also give us the resources to combat this, and you know allow the police to continue their fight to curb the continuous stream of drugs into our state,” Lemaster said.

Governor Tomblin’s Substance Abuse Summit will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 4 at the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department in Martinsburg.