MONTICELLO, NY — Sen. John Bonacic has announced that he will host an afternoon forum, “Heroin and Opioid Addiction,” on Friday, May 9 at the Sullivan County Government Center, 100 North St., Monticello from 2 to 4 p.m.

The forum will include representatives from local law enforcement, health, and treatment and recovery professionals, in an effort to solicit input on the rise in the use of heroin and opioids, and to develop legislative recommendations for treating and preventing addiction and its consequences.

“In an effort to better understand the heroin epidemic, I am pleased to gather these experts in one room and hear their experiences and suggestions to help combat this alarming situation,” said Bonacic. “Heroin addiction affects everyone; it transcends regions, race, gender and economic status, from our kids on up, and only by learning from these informed professionals can we begin to address this crises. We must do everything in our power to help stop this highly accessible and addictive drug from poisoning our communities.”

Bonacic is a member of the New York State Senate Majority Coalition’s Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction, a bipartisan task force chaired by Sen. Phil Boyle. Twelve sessions are being conducted throughout the state, and at their conclusion the task force will then develop recommendations that will be used to draft legislation to address the issues raised.

The public is invited to attend. Due to limited seating, RSVP to 845/344-3311.