Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill announced Friday that Jamie Johnson will be a keynote speaker at the 11th annual Drug Abuse Symposium, which takes place Oct. 22 in downtown Indianapolis.
Johnson
Johnson is a three-time Grammy Award nominee and co-founder of bluegrass band The Grascals. Born and raised in Milan, Ind., he has made more than 150 appearances at the famous Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn.
Johnson has been open about his struggles with depression and alcohol, and though he is now sober, he continues to overcome his addiction one day at a time. At the symposium, Johnson will tell stories and sing songs of his experiences and his new perspective on life.
In addition to Johnson, Hill said, symposium attendees will hear from law enforcement, treatment providers, faith leaders, government officials and others. Their presentations will cover marijuana legalization, the methamphetamine crisis, how law enforcement officers handle suspected drug overdoses and more than a dozen additional topics.
All of the symposium’s scheduled speakers share a common goal: Limiting the negative consequences of drugs in the United States.
“Our country is enduring a combination of public health crises like we have never seen before,” Hill said. “While the COVID-19 pandemic has understandably been at the front of our minds in 2020, we cannot forget that drug abuse also continues to devastate our nation. Our need to educate people about these dire matters has never been greater.”
On the morning of the symposium, attendees may choose which breakout sessions they would like to attend. Different sessions will offer attendees different professional credits, so keep an eye out for which sessions you will need to attend.
This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, attendees have the option to take part in the symposium virtually. Appropriate cleaning and social-distancing measures are being followed for in-person attendees.
Tickets to virtually attend the symposium cost $100, and tickets to appear in person cost $150. The prices of both tickets will increase by $50 after Sept. 11.
Students and government employees may also purchase tickets at a discounted rate. If you are a student or government employee, please email oageducation@atg.in.gov for access to these discounts.
To adhere to social distancing guidelines, there will be a limited number of in-person tickets for sale. Those who wish to attend in person are encouraged to buy those tickets as soon as possible.
The 11th annual Drug Abuse Symposium is scheduled for Oct. 22 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis, located at 1 S. Capitol Ave. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m., and opening remarks are slated for 8:45 a.m. The final breakout sessions will end around 5:45 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for in-person attendees.
For more information about the 11th annual Drug Abuse Symposium, contact Brittany Wallace at Brittany.Wallace@atg.in.gov. Click here to view the agenda for the symposium.