Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf made a stop in Erie to discuss the state’s opioid abuse crisis.

Wolf spoke at the Esper Treatment Center in Erie on Thursday to discuss the investment made in the 2016-2017 budget to fight the opioid epidemic.

As prescription drug and heroin abuse continues to make headlines and the epidemic grows, Wolf spoke on the importance of proper funding to fight the abuse.

For 2016-2017,  the $31.5 billion state budget allocates $15 million to tackle heroin and opioid addiction.

That money, coupled with Wolf’s initiative to designate drug treatment facilities as Centers of Excellence that gives 20 centers across the state additional funds to expand services, with one of them being the Esper Center.

Wolf said over the last decade, the demographic of addicts has changed.

“Today a 10th grade standout football star who blows out his knee goes to the doctor and gets it fixed and then gets on pain meds and happens to have a brain that is wired the wrong way,” Wolf said. “It’s that simple to get addicted to painkillers.”

The governor said addiction is not a moral failing, its a disease and as we’ve heard before, it can affect anyone