FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KTHV) – In 2015, 22,000 people died from a prescription drug overdose. Since then, that number has more than doubled.
“It’s crazy seeing the magnitude of it because a lot of times you think it’s affecting just your family," said University of Arkansas student, Shay Longmate, "but it can be something much larger than that.”
This week the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is hosting Prescribed to Death, a traveling exhibit dedicated to raising awareness about prescription overdose deaths.
“This exhibit is really to put a face on the opioid addiction crisis that has really swept our nation and hit Arkansas pretty hard,” said Debbie Hersman, President and CEO of the National Safety Council.
The exhibit includes a memorial wall, made up of 22,000 small, white pills, each carved with a human face to represent the lives lost to prescription overdoses in 2015.
“When we see that one pill on the wall we know that represents one person who died, but it also represents so many people who will never be the same,” said Hersman.
People like Betty Hacala, who lost her son to an overdose in 2016.
“It’s very emotional," said Hacala. "It’s very sad. It changes your life forever to have lost someone you love especially your child.”
One of the most unique parts about the exhibit is the ability to add your loved ones name to the memorial.
“Just standing here looking at every single face is just crazy and I definitely want to take my time and bring my roommates and family when they come up ,” said University of Arkansas Junior, Maria Caldaron.
The University of Arkansas is the fifth stop on the nationwide tour of the exhibit and the first in the south. It’s a collaborative effort among several organizations including the Attorney General’s Office and Student Government.
“Over the past year, our student government has dedicated itself to raising awareness on opioids and substance abuse just for students who have lost their lives to addiction," said Trevor Villines with the University of Arkansas Student Government Association. "And it’s important that we let them know that their voice is being heard and we want to do something about that and this exhibit it a perfect example of tha.,”
The memorial is free and open to public now through Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. inside the student union on campus.
For more info, you can visit Prescribed to Death website.