LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 24, 2021) — It's a question that is critical to families and communities across the Commonwealth — how do we tackle the opioid epidemic? The 2021 “Kreminar” will feature virtual seminars about the history and contemporary status of opiates, opioids and addiction. “The Cooperative for the Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) is pleased to co-sponsor these events because it is important to understand that drug use and opioid addiction have both a global and a local history,” Karen Petrone, director of CHSS, said. “Understanding this history helps scholars and practitioners to imagine future solutions to social and health problems.” “The opioid crisis is a pressing local concern, and substance use is one of our university's research priorities,” Claire Clark, associate professor of behavioral science in the College of Medicine, added. “The ‘Kreminar’ provides an opportunity for us to think about this issue globally, as well as locally and to consider possible future solutions in historical context.”