EMPORIUM — During a regional visit Tuesday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro met with law enforcement officials in Emporium to discuss efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.

Cameron County residents can count themselves lucky; the area has not suffered as many hardships from the opioid crisis as neighboring counties and other communities across the state. In 2016, the county recorded only one opioid-related overdose, which was reversed through the use of Naloxone. No opioid-related overdoses were recorded in 2017, and none, so far, in 2018.

Police officers and court officials spoke with Shapiro on the more pressing drug-related issues facing Cameron County, which includes an uptick in users of methamphetamines and abusers of prescription drugs, as was revealed at the “Coffee with Cops” roundtable hosted by Shapiro on Tuesday at the Cabin Kitchen.

Due to the county’s small population, and smaller “customer base” for those looking to sell illegal drugs in the area, Cameron County’s communities are not drawing in drug dealers in the same way as other communities. Despite heroin being ever-present in nearby St. Marys, Elk County, the substance is not as likely to make it to Emporium. The lack of through-ways to larger communities makes the county less likely to be a stop as dealers pass through small towns on their way to cities. Other communities in the region are stopping points between Buffalo, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and other large cities, but Emporium is more isolated, there are fewer people in general, there is a larger, more visible police presence, and there is less demand for the substance.

Less demand may sound like a good thing. However, in this case, it is likely because addicts are looking for methamphetamine, a stimulant, as many became addicted to bath salts as that substance was sweeping the area several years ago. Opioids like heroin are depressants, offering a different “high” than the stimulant varieties.

Driving-Under-the-Influence (DUI) arrests are on the rise in Cameron County, according to Pennsylvania State Police officers in attendance. Alcohol is still the leading cause of DUI arrests, but more and more individuals are being arrested for DUI of controlled substances. Police credited much of the increase to better training and more awareness by officers, rather than a huge increase in individuals driving while impaired.

In rural areas, the cost to purchase heroin is also much higher than it is in the cities, and so more opioid addicts continue to abuse prescription drugs rather than switching over to heroin.

Cameron County District Attorney Jeanne Miglicio stated that the good rapport between police agencies and residents also helps with enforcement. The smaller population also make problems visible more quickly. Miglicio and other court officials in attendance credited the county’s size in giving them a more personalized approach with each offender, tailoring treatment plans to the individual rather than having a cookie-cutter approach.

“We looked at treatment courts. It’s just hard because we’re such a small county and we don’t have enough (adult probation) positions. But, treatment is always at the forefront. We appreciate the need for treatment,” Miglicio said.

Probation officer Steve Fingado said they have streamlined the intake process, and can have an individual in need evaluated and sent to treatment within two to three weeks, reducing the chance for an individual to back out or relapse before getting the help they need.

Shapiro spoke on Gov. Tom Wolf’s recent declaration naming the opioid epidemic a disaster emergency, saying he believes this was an important step because it draws attention to the issue, reduces the stigma surrounding drug dependence issues, and further binds law enforcement and public health officials together. The move cuts down on some of the bureaucratic burdens facing treatment providers, and makes Naloxone (overdose reversal drug) easier to obtain. However, the plan does not direct more resources to law enforcement, and he stated that the Attorney General’s office is looking to help fill that gap.

Fingado spoke on the difficulties of paying for treatment. Many insurance providers do not cover longer treatment programs. While an individual may need a 90-day program, only 28 days are covered by insurance. In other cases, the individual may have to pay a high deductible, or treatment may not be covered at all.

Shapiro stated that it angers him that it is easy for a doctor to write a prescription for a 60-day supply of pills, but they must jump through all sorts of hoops to get a patient into treatment for a drug dependency issue.

A Ten-Point Plan developed by Shapiro looks to put pressure on insurance companies and prescription drug manufacturers to take steps that are seen as necessary to curbing the epidemic. The plan seeks to put a cap on first-time opioid prescriptions limiting them to a five- to seven-day supply; add a pre-authorization mandate for prescription opioids, and drop the one currently mandated prior to entry into a treatment facility; and treating mental health disorders.

Participants asked if Shapiro planned to sue pharmaceutical companies as other states and organizations have begun to do across the country, and he stated that Pennsylvania has taken a different approach.

“Pennsylvania is leading a massive multi-state investigation into five manufacturers and three suppliers who provided as much as 90 percent of the opioids in this country. Forty-one states are part of the investigation. We haven’t sued yet. The investigation is going very well, and we think it will yield results in Pennsylvania and in their corporate behavior. More and more counties and cities are suing, but they’re getting stuck in court for years. We see this as an alternative that can move more quickly,” said Shapiro. “Most insurance companies are focusing on the bottom line, but they have to be focused on humanity, too.”

Shapiro also made stops in McKean and Potter counties as part of his tour of the region on Tuesday.