NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- Floyd County judges said 90% of the people who appear in their courtrooms are facing drug charges. Sheriff Steve Bush said the top three offenses in his jail are drug-related.

Now, they're trying to attack the problem.

Over the next 14 years, Floyd County will receive nearly $7 million as part of the National Opioid Settlement. County leaders will use the money to establish the Floyd County Drug Interdiction Task Force, allowing recovery and treatment centers and law enforcement to collaborate.

"I don't think any one of us has not had a friend or a family member who is affected by this crisis," Floyd County Commissioner Jason Sharp said Wednesday. "It has ripped children away from their families. It has ripped parents away from their children."

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 8.51% of Hoosiers between the ages of 12 and 17 used drugs in the last month. And those between the ages of 18 and 25 are 7.62% more likely to use drugs than the average American in the same age group.

"I don't think solving this problem can be attacked from one angle," Sharp said. "It has to be attacked from several angles."

Earlier this year, a man in Floyd County was sentenced to 30 years in prison for trafficking in fentanyl. Prosecutors said Shannon Houchin was caught with 23 grams of fentanyl. That's 12,000 lethal doses, enough to kill 14% of the county's residents. 

Two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. That's an amount small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil. And many people don't even realize they're taking it, since fentanyl can be made to look exactly like common pharmaceutical drugs, and it can also be laced with other drugs. 

“The scourge of opioid abuse and overdoses has inflicted such unspeakable pain on so many Hoosiers around the state, including Floyd County," Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said in a written statement Wednesday. "While no amount of money will ever compensate families for the loss of loved ones, Attorney General Rokita continues to hold Big Pharma accountable for their contributions to this devastating epidemic. To date, AG Rokita has secured more than $925 million in settlements for Hoosier communities to support local law enforcement efforts, drug task forces, regional treatment hubs, early intervention and crisis support, and other important programs aimed at combating substance abuse and overdose. We're proud to see this money having such a positive impact all around the state.”

Organizations in Floyd County can apply for a portion of the $7 million on the county website. Officials hope to starting helping immediately.

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