WV First Foundation board member testifies before U.S. Senate on opioids
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — A board member with the West Virginia First Foundation testified on the Senate floor in Washington, DC, about the effects of the opioid epidemic on West Virginia senior citizens in late February.
Greg Duckworth, who is also president of Raleigh County Commission, was invited by Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Justice to speak before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, speaking on the financial, emotional and practical struggles senior citizens face as they help to rear grandchildren and to support adult children who are addicted to opioids.
Sen. Justice introduced Duckworth and prompted an open discussion on opioids and senior citizens.
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'Greg Duckworth is an incredible man, and we've worked hard together in the state to combat the opioid crisis that has devastated West Virginia families,' Sen. Justice said. 'I'm proud to have him here representing West Virginia, and it is encouraging to see opioid-related deaths decline in the state over the past few years, but we cannot get complacent.'
Duckworth told 59News on Thursday, February 27, 2025, that the opioid epidemic has changed life for many families in the state.
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'When a grandparent is raising a grandchild, we're missing a generation out of that family's family tree, and it has huge effects, and it's like fires and floods,' he said, referring to the opioid crisis. 'It destroys everything it touches.'
WVFF is a private, non-profit that was established to address the opioid crisis and its impact on the state.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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