Drug abuse listening tour coming to Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS - A statewide listening post tour on opioid and drug abuse comes to Cedar Rapids this week.

The Area Substance Abuse Council is sponsoring an open forum from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Ave. SE.

Speakers at the public forum will include Pat Reinert with the U.S. Department of Justice, Peter Komendowski with the Partnership for a Drug Free Iowa, Steve Lukan with the Office of Drug Control Policy and Staff Sgt. Dave Jorgenson with the Iowa National Guard.

The forum, part of the Iowa Caring Communities Tour, is to cover topics related to the opioid epidemic and other drug abuse issues.

Organizers said the event is to be largely audience driven, with the primary purpose being to hear substance abuse issues of concern to Linn County. Concerns raised can be related to leaders of agencies working to combat the opioid epidemic that has swept the nation.

For more information or to make a reservation, contact Peter Komendowski at (515) 729-7334 or by email at peter@drugfreeiowa.org.