Overdoses in Milwaukee County still on the rise despite billboard campaign aimed at battling abuse

MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- Billboards aimed at battling against the opioid abuse epidemic have been up in southeastern Wisconsin for over a month -- but overdoses continue to be on the rise in Milwaukee County.

According to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office, the billboards campaign began on December 6th, 2016 -- a move in the continuing battle against opioid misuse, and heroin and fentanyl abuse.

On Wednesday, January 10th, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office tweeted when the billboard campaign started, there were 262 overdose deaths in Milwaukee County -- Wednesday's count was 301.



The billboards can be spotted as far west as Fort Atkinson, as far north as Sheboygan and as far south as near the Illinois border. The idea is to inspire conversations around the opioid epidemic and to take action to eliminate it.