Baker County commissioner uses personal experience in fight against opioid epidemic

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A county commissioner is turning a personal connection with heroin into motivation to help her county.

Cathy Rhoden, who is trying to start a task force that can address the opioid epidemic, said her daughter is battling a heroin addiction.

Rhoden hopes to help keep other families from going through the same experience as the state of Florida now deals with the opioid epidemic, which has already been declared a public health emergency.

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“It’s going to be (a) tough fight," Rhoden said. “I have a daughter who’s a heroin addict and that’s not an easy thing to say,” Rhoden said.

Now, Rhoden wants to start a task force in the county. She said county authorities are already dealing with meth and have recently seen more people using heroin and other opioids.

On Wednesday, Baker County deputies arrested a man on several charges including possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. He had 41 oxycodone pills.

“Whenever they’re taking it in … dealers to Jacksonville, they have to come right through here. So I just I feel like we’re just in the beginning stages,” Rhoden said.

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In May, Gov. Rick Scott declared the opioid epidemic a state of emergency in Florida. In 2015, there were nearly 3,900 opioid deaths. Now, Rhoden wants to take action in her county, something she knows won’t be easy but is needed.

“My hope is if nothing else that we educate, make people aware and hopefully save some lives,” Rhoden said.

Rhoden has been speaking with other counties about the programs they’ve created to help address this issue.