CHICAGO -- Drug overdoses claimed more than 63,600 American lives in 2016, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Opioids, including heroin, fentanyl and oxycodone, were to blame for about 66% of those fatalities. President Donald Trump has directed the Department of Health and Human Services to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency.
The crisis is playing out in convenience-store bathrooms, parking lots and, sometimes, right in the middle of the store. In the process, it is affecting both customers and employees, and convenience retailers are looking at ways to combat drug use in their stores. Industry experts suggest a smart and thorough hiring process, zero-tolerance drug policies, and cameras and other technology to spot illegal activities. Convenience retailers have organized meetings with law enforcement and posted signs about the dangers of heroin and other drugs, and some are even testing the effectiveness of blue lights in deterring heroin users from getting their fix in restrooms.
To gauge the scope of the issue, CSP Daily News is asking retailers to fill out the following anonymous survey:
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