Myrtle Beach Awarded $500,000 Grant To Fight Opioid Epidemic

A grant of $500,000 has been awarded to Myrtle Beach by state lawmakers in order to help fight the prevalent opioid epidemic. Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune made the announcement during yesterday’s city council workshop. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2017 alone there were 749 opioid involved deaths reported for a rate of 15.5 deaths per 100,000 persons, which, when compared to the national average, is slightly higher. The grant, which will be officially accepted by the city this Tuesday in another council meeting, is a pilot program, which means it will just be for this year. The goal is to not only help treat those who are addicted but also lessen the amount of addiction cases.