West Virginia's New Drug Czar Fights Opioid Crisis After Personal Battle

Dr. Stephen Loyd, who recently became the director of West Virginia's Office of Drug Control Policy, has a personal connection to the opioid crisis, having battled addiction to prescription painkillers himself. With two decades of experience treating patients with substance use disorder, he emphasizes the importance of addressing the state's high overdose death rates. Loyd's own recovery journey has shaped his understanding of addiction, allowing him to empathize with those struggling. He aims to improve treatment outcomes in addiction medicine, advocating for better metrics and accountability in the field. Loyd believes that the state has a moral obligation to wisely allocate resources to combat the opioid epidemic, drawing from his experiences to inform his approach to policy and treatment.