Moore County

State of North Carolina

A RESOLUTION BY THE MOORE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

REQUESTING NORTH CAROLINA STATE LEADERS TO ACT ON BEHALF OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DEMAND BETTER BORDER CONTROL BY
FEDERAL AUTHORITIES TO CURTAIL THE TRAFFICKING OF OPIOIDS THAT
ARE DESTROYING THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS

WHEREAS, the Moore County Board of Commissioners is aware of the tragic opioid epidemic
affecting communities across the United States and our own beloved Moore County community.
Moore County public health, public safety, and law enforcement officials have reported in
numerous meetings with the Board of Commissioners that opioid use is on the rise and bears
tragic consequences. Community partners have pleaded for more resources to help the ever-
increasing number of opioid addicted clients. Nearly 15% of Moore County’s population had an
opioid prescription dispensed in 2020. For the period 2018 to 2020, overdose deaths more than
tripled in Moore County, from 7 to 23. The 23 overdose deaths in 2020 was the highest total
ever for Moore County, and all 23 were reported as unintentional. Emergency room visits for
overdoses in Moore County increased by 33.7% from 2018 to 2020. The total estimated
combined medical costs and statistical life loss costs due to overdose deaths in Moore County for
2020 was $259,109,280, or $2,507 per capita; and

WHEREAS, Moore County anticipates receiving $6,250,000 between the years 2022 and 2038
from the recent national opioid settlement which must be used for opioid abatement. The Board
of Commissioners intends to use these funds wisely and as effectively as possible; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein visited Moore County on September
26, 2022, to address the opioid crisis that is affecting our community and heard from many of
our local officials and community partners that the crisis has risen to record breaking levels of
detriment. In fact, in the four days following AG Stein’s visit, Moore County EMS responded to
an additional six calls for service due to opioid overdoses. There were four overdose deaths
recorded by Moore County Public Safety in the month of September 2022: and

WHEREAS, large quantities of these dangerous drugs are widely reported to be entering the
United States across the southern border. Law enforcement is overwhelmed with people entering
the United States illegally and there are not enough resources to address the smuggling of drugs
that is also occurring. It is obvious from the continuous rise of overdoses recorded that more of
these drugs are getting through the border. If allowed to continue, many more of our citizens will
suffer ruined lives or even death; and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Moore County Board of Commissioners is
grateful for the effort given toward the opioid settlement and hereby urgently requests North
Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein and Governor Roy Cooper to continue fighting the opioid
battle, including joining efforts to mitigate the influx of people and drugs entering the United
States via the southern border, and communicating to President Biden the vital need for action to
gain control of the border and protect the lives of our citizens; and

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be hand-delivered to the office of

NC Attorney General Josh Stein by the Board’s Chairman.

This the 18th day of October 2022.

_______________________________
Francis R. Quis, Jr.
Chairman

____________________________
Laura M. Williams
Clerk to the Board