• Meet Our Team
  • Advertise on SCDN
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, July 1
Scioto County Daily News
  • Login
  • Register
Subscribe For $1/week
  • Public Safety
    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/01/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    ppd 124

    🚨CPS CALLED AFTER CHILD THREAT—INTERPRETER HELPS CONNECT CRUCIAL DETAILS 

    Cops Recover Missing 14-Year-Old Girl in Portsmouth After High-Stakes Search 

    Back on the Radar: Troubled Woman Arrested Again After Report of Public Defecation — When Will Portsmouth Act? 

    scioto county rehabs in the news

    💥 Gunshots, & Chaos: Recovery Facility Feud Explodes Again in Lawrence County 

    Sheriff sticker

    🚨 Sunday Surge: Stabbings, Fires, and False Alarms Mark a Chaotic Day for Scioto County First Responders 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 06/30/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    SCDN File Photo

    Heroes in Uniform: First Responders Step Up During Mental Health Emergency in Wheelersburg

    Sheriff night 2

    🚨Crowbar Chaos in West Portsmouth! Ex-Boyfriend Brawl Leaves One Injured, Suspects on the Run🚓 

    Scioto County Dog Shelter

    Help Fill the Scioto County Dog Shelter with Love: Sponsor a Dog Kennel Today! 

    Sheriff sticker

    Busy Day for Scioto County First Responders: Medical Runs, Alarms, and Crime Reports Stack Up 

    William Kerns

    🔥Flasher, Firebug & Free Again? Paroled Arsonist William Kerns Arrested (Again) After June 26 Parole Violation 

    dog animal cruelty

    Animal Hoarding Horror: Shock Sentences That Have the Town Talking! 😱🐾 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 06/27/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    police ppd banner

    Grace Under Pressure: Portsmouth Police Calm Chaos at Marathon Without Making Arrest 

    CASA Program Cut: What Happens to Scioto County’s Foster Kids Now? 

    Sheriff sticker

    🚨 Busy Wednesday in Scioto County: Medical Runs, Burglaries, Fires, and Road Woes Keep First Responders on the Move 🚓🚑🔥 

    Naked Woman

    📱Nude Nightmare: Woman Targeted in Vicious ‘Revenge Porn’ Attack by Ex 

    Family’s Clash with Scioto County Deputies Sparks Allegations of False Charges and Legal Missteps 

    New Dog Bite Law Could Strain Already Maxed-Out Scioto County Shelter and Court System 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    No Kings

    Scioto Dems Snort at “Well-Funded” No Kings Protest Claim

    Cathy Coleman Still Fighting: Family Shuts Down Hospice Rumors, Says Recovery Still Underway

    County May Tap Opioid Settlement Funds to Finish MARCS Tower Project 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘Small Steps, Big Faith’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Edges Closer to Recovery 

    ‘Praise God!’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Shows Remarkable Progress After Harrowing Weeks

    Cathy Coleman

    Cautious Hope and Harsh Realities: New Details Emerge on Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Condition 

    Scioto County Commissioners Cancel This Week’s Meeting 

    Robert Horton

    Sudden Twist: Horton Court Dates Scrapped Ahead of Trial 

    ‘A Sign of Hope’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Shows Small Improvements Amid Ongoing Critical Condition 

    Recorder Gary Jenkins

    Scioto County Recorder Gary Jenkins Unveils New Office Website 

    Staggering 236 Recovery Houses in Area — and the Fight for Reform Faces Pushback 

    Cathy Coleman

    Community Urged to Pray For Cathy Coleman as Family Faces Devastating Update 

    Scottie Powell

    Commissioner Scottie Powell on Trans Sanctuary Resolution: “Symbolic, Not Substantive” 

    Cathy Coleman

    Update from the Scioto County Commissioners on Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    What Did Portsmouth’s LGBTQ+ Sanctuary Resolution Really Say? 

    Portsmouth Rehab

    Portsmouth Rejects LGBTQ+ Sanctuary City Status in Heated Council Vote 

    Cathy Coleman

    It’s a Miracle! – Scioto County Rallies Around Commissioner Cathy Coleman After Medical Crisis Turnaround 

    Scioto County Rallies in Prayer for Commissioner Cathy Coleman After Tragic Crash 

    Risky Business? City Wants to Sell $4.5 Million in Bonds

    Portsmouth LGBT Sanctuary City Proposal Scrapped – New Resolution Coming

  • Feel Good

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

    Good Samaritan 2

    Good Neighbor and Officer to the Rescue 

    Portsmouth Flood Wall Stars

    Meet the New Flood Wall Stars! 

    A bearded man is sitting on the floor and comforting his dog in a wheelchair. The dog has his ears pinned back.

    Training Tips To Help Your Dog Get Used to Their Wheelchair

    U.S. housing market

    Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like a Home

    The Best Freshwater Fish To Catch This Summer

    The Best Freshwater Fish To Catch This Summer

    A man approaching the bowling lane with a red bowling ball as his three friends in the background cheer him on.

    How Bowling Can Improve Your Mental Health

    good cops

    Lost Kid Calls Cops for Help 

    Backyard camping

    Backyard Adventure: Unforgettable Family Camping

    Sunshine or Snowflakes: Which Season Wins America’s Heart?

  • Obituaries
    Ann Bartlett Truitt

     Ann Bartlett Truitt, 92 of Waverly

     Cornel Cave

     Cornel Cave, 69 of Portsmouth

    Mahala Dawn Pelfrey

    Mahala Dawn Pelfrey, 49 of Lucasville

    Nancy Ackerman-Nash, 71 of Granbury

    Nancy Ackerman-Nash, 71 of Granbury

    Denver Eugene Raike

    Denver Eugene Raike, 87 of Wheelersburg

    Robin Gail Ramsey, 63 of West Portsmouth

    Geneva Mullins 78 of New Boston

    Willard Fenton

    Willard Fenton, 86, of South Webster

    Richard Lewis

    Richard Lewis, 75 of McDermott

    Judy Gayle (Wells) Scifres

    Judy Gayle Scifres, 74 of South Shore,

    Braxton Spears Jr., 76, of South Shore,

    Braxton Spears Jr., 76 of South Shore

    Walter Ronald Kidd

    Walter Ronald Kidd, 89 of Xenia

    Lois Helen Friend

    Lois Helen Friend, 76 of Lucasville

    Patricia Ann Holland

    Patricia Ann Holland, 93 of Waverly

    Marsha Faye Gammon

    Marsha Faye Gammon, 72 of Wheelersburg

    Janet Sue Perkins

    Janet Sue Perkins, 79 of Ashland

    Barbara Williams

    Nancy L. Pistole, 85 of West Portsmouth

    Charles Lloyd Smith

    Charles Lloyd Smith, 84, of Portsmouth

    Maxine Ballard

    Maxine Ballard, 84, of South Point

    David Paul Kidder

    David Paul Kidder, 57 of West Portsmouth

  • More News
    • All News
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Education
    • Economy
    • Food & Drinks
    • Local Business
    • National
    • Opinion
    • Regional
    • Strange But True
    • Trending
No Result
View All Result
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result

Burned By Opioid Lies, Poor Ohioans Don’t Trust The COVID Vaccine

Kendall Robinson by Kendall Robinson
4 years ago
in Opinion
trust
ShareTweetEmail

A lot of Ohioans, especially the poor ones, don’t trust the COVID vaccine and many of them have a good reason. Let me preface this by stating that I am not an anti-vaxxer. I got my Coronavirus vaccine as possible. I put on my mask and headed straight to the head of a socially distanced line.  A whole lot of my fellow Ohioans did not and will not.  They don’t trust the government, the FDA, or pharmaceutical companies.  And you know something, they have good reasons. Especially residents of Southern Ohio’s Appalachian region.  Experts say only about 37% of residents of Scioto County have chosen to get vaccinated. You might think they’re a bunch of stupid hillbillies who believe in conspiracy theories. They’re actually a bunch of hillbillies who were on the receiving end of a conspiracy.

The government happily sold us off to big pharma once before. I guess we’re supposed to believe they wouldn’t do such a thing again. An opioid epidemic, deadlier than the Coronavirus, has ravaged parts of this state for decades.

617 Pills Per Person

Drug manufacturers distributed over 48 million opioid pills in Scioto County between 2006 and 2014, that’s 617 pills for every person living in the county. Both the number and the prescription strength of the drugs are startling. Close to 50 million pain pills containing almost 1 billion MME (milligram morphine equivalent) were shipped to Scioto County along in just eight years. Of those pills, more than 22 million were Oxycontin and 28 million were various forms of Hydrocodone.

RELATED POSTS

 Ann Bartlett Truitt, 92 of Waverly

Back on the Radar: Troubled Woman Arrested Again After Report of Public Defecation — When Will Portsmouth Act? 

🚨 Sunday Surge: Stabbings, Fires, and False Alarms Mark a Chaotic Day for Scioto County First Responders 

Please Support This Local Business

All of these drugs were approved by the FDA. They were prescribed by doctors and distributed to people by pharmacists. The Ohio Attorney General sued drug manufacturers and distributors for millions. When the majority of Ohio counties agreed to band together to sue drug companies, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said, “I am pleased that Ohio’s communities have agreed to come together as OneOhio. It’s a simple concept, but when we are united, we are stronger. OneOhio puts us in the best position to face the drug companies did so much to destroy lives and communities when they got Ohioans hooked on their highly addictive products.”

But now, Governor DeWine is asking citizens to put their faith in drug companies for a brand-new product. Again, I got damned shot and I’ll get a booster if it’s offered. But people who are wary aren’t stupid. They just know that past behavior is often a predictor of future behavior.

Birth Of The Pill Mill

Southern Ohio has the distinction of being the birthplace of the pill mill. Shady doctors set up practices and happily wrote prescriptions that turned ordinary folks with aches and pains into full-on opioid addicts. It was a great place to set up shop because so many residents were on Medicaid. The government actually footed the bill to turn an already vulnerable population into drug addicts.

The DEA took the FDA-approved drug fentanyl that doctors’ prescribed to elderly people with back pain and moved it to Schedule 1 along with heroin. The very same drug they thought was safe to stick on pain patches and allow you to apply at home. Opioids in all forms are known to be notoriously addictive. That’s been common knowledge for over a hundred years. Yet somehow, everyone was convinced they were safe for widespread use.

So, they scrambled to take the pills away and heroin along with other dangerous synthetic opioids moved in to take their place. The neighborhoods I played in as a child look like my hometown was on the losing end in a war. We’re coming up on two generations where a significant portion of the population is lost to drugs.  Drugs you promised us were safe. Drugs you told us would help.

You, dear government officials, sewed the seeds that lead to distrust of vaccines. Vaccines which I personally believe could save our lives. But when someone has misled you time and time again for their own gain, it’s hard to believe them even when they speak the truth.

Tags: CoronavirusCOVID-19FeaturedHealthPortsmouth OhioScioto County
Please Support This Local Business

TRENDING NOW

SCDN File Photo

Heroes in Uniform: First Responders Step Up During Mental Health Emergency in Wheelersburg

June 27, 2025
Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 06/27/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

June 27, 2025
Sheriff night 2

🚨Crowbar Chaos in West Portsmouth! Ex-Boyfriend Brawl Leaves One Injured, Suspects on the Run🚓 

June 27, 2025
Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 06/26/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

June 26, 2025

BOOM, BANDS & BIG PLANS: Portsmouth’s 4th of July Lights Up Spartan Stadium—Riverfront Future in Sight 

June 17, 2025

ABOUT US

We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. We believe progress inspires change and we believe our reporting has become the front-lines of Portsmouth, Ohio's comeback.

CATEGORIES

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Casino
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • Food & Drink
  • Local Business
  • National
  • Obituaries
  • Ohio
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Regional
  • Strange But True
  • Video

AREAS SERVED

  • Portsmouth
  • Wheelersburg
  • Minford
  • Waverly
  • Friendship
  • Ironton
  • West Union
  • Piketon
  • Coal Grove
  • South Point
  • Vanceburg
  • Grayson
  • South Shore
  • Greenup
  • Raceland
  • Ashland

SITE SEARCH

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.