The current drug abuse crisis and a lack of large-scale and long-term drug rehabilitation facilities in the coalfields were two important topics discussed by a local elected official and members of neighborhood watch groups from across the county recently.

Logan County Delegate Ralph Rodighiero said he believes the primary reason the drug abuse problem came about was because of petty-minded and greedy doctors who are only too eager to over prescribe narcotics which wind up being abused and sold on the street.

Rodighiero said the methadone clinic system in West Virginia has become another greed-based scourge and said it harvested $27 million in pure profits last year.

Rodighiero complained that the "treatment" doesn't seem to be working for local addicts who are using the nearby clinic in Mingo County. Suboxone is proving to be another problem, he added.

Omar Crime Watch member Larry Rogers said considering the fact that Logan County has been declared a high drug activity area by the federal government that the region needs a large scale, long term, abstinence based rehab center, but doesn't have one yet.

Rogers said that with hundreds if not thousands of hardcore addicts in the area getting arrested over and over again, a facility with more than a dozen or so beds is what is required to deal with addiction.

"Not every addict sets out to become a crook," Rodighiero said.

"If they ask for help, we should give them help."

Rogers said if any of the economic stimulus money was sent to West Virginia to create government jobs it should be used for hiring rehab counselors.

"Eventually, the mining boom will go back down and that would be a good career choice because it is needed so badly here," Rogers said.