CEDARVILLE — State legislators, pharmacists, professors and pharmacy students will gather at Cedarville University Friday, Sept.14 to discuss ways to curb the opioid crisis at a legal and pharmaceutical level, and help those impacted by the epidemic.

The symposium is part of the State of Ohio’s Pharmacy education program. Leaders from all seven of Ohio’s pharmacy schools, including Cedarville University; Northeast Ohio Medical University; Ohio Northern University; The Ohio State University; University of Cincinnati; University of Findlay, and the University of Toledo, will be in attendance. They will be joined by state legislators and law enforcement officials.

Statewide notable speakers at the event include Dr. Jon Sprague, director of the Ohio Attorney General’s Center for the Future of Forensic Sciences at Bowling Green State University; Dr. Phyllis Grauer, pain management specialist at Charxis Consulting; and Rob Amiet, retired Ohio Board of Pharmacy compliance specialist. Cedarville speakers for the event are Dr. Marc Sweeney, dean of Cedarville’s school of pharmacy, and Dr. Mark Caleb Smith, chair of the history and government department and director of the Center for Political Studies.

“There is a huge problem in our community and all over Ohio related to opioid abuse and addiction,” Sweeney said. “We are banding together as the school of pharmacy with the state of Ohio to attempt to benefit those who struggle with this and prevent this from happening again. This symposium is about serving others and helping them.”

Legislators expected to participate in a roundtable discussion on solutions to the opioid crisis include Rep. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg), Stephen Huffman (R-Tipp City), Anthony DeVitis (R-Green), and senator Bob Hackett (R-London).

There will be breakout sessions that address the science, psychology and legality behind opioid addiction and the ways that it can be prevented.

Pharmacists attending can earn up to 4.5 hours of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited continuing education (CE) hours. Register online for this free symposium at eventbrite.com; search for Ohio pharmacy advocacy symposium.

The event is 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Stevens Student Center.