Heroin has become a national epidemic, with thousands of people dying every year from the drug.
York County Coroner Pam Gay says within the past year, there has been a 189% increase in the number of heroin-related deaths here in York County, which is why she wants to help combat the growing problem.
On Saturday, Gay along with Deputy Coroner, Claude Stabley and Assistant District Attorney, David Sunday held a special presentation at the Cross Roads U.M. Church in Felton.
“We’re going to teach them the side effects, what heroin does to the body, why people die from it so easily, what type of demographic of individuals are dying from it and then what they can do as a community to try and reverse the problem,” Gay said.
In 2013 there were 17 heroin-related deaths. So far for 2014, there have been 27 heroin-related deaths.