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Maryland parents upset over billboard about drug addiction

Posted at 9:26 PM, Jul 12, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-12 21:28:06-04

FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. -- A Maryland billboard about drug addiction is causing controversy and has some parents outraged.

The billboard reads "Addiction is preventable. Parenting is prevention."

Parents say the billboard sends the wrong message and blames them for the addiction.

Gina Carbaugh tells WJLA her son died from a heroin overdose and she couldn’t prevent it. She helped start a petition over the weekend to get the billboard taken down.

Drug addiction billboardShe got more than 2,500 signatures in less than a day.

She said fighting addiction is not easy.

"I was the type of parent who would ask where are you at, what are you doing, who are you going to be with, what time are you going to be home,” Carbaugh said. “I was that type of parent. I didn't raise my son to become an addict."

The Frederick County Health Department confirmed they put up the billboard.

A spokeswoman for the department said it's scheduled to come down Tuesday, and health officials never meant to cause any harm.