By Elizabeth Bell
The national prescription rate for opioids is declining, yet in Lexington, the rate is still four times higher than the national average. According to community data collected by the Centers for Disease Control, Lexington has the 11th highest opioid prescription rate in the country. But it’s unclear why there is such a high concentration of opioids prescribed in the Rockbridge area. Rockbridge County, Lexington and several other nearby cities and counties have filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors over the cost of the opioid epidemic.