Opioid Crisis
The heroin and opioid epidemic has claimed too many loved ones, shattered too many lives, and broken too many families across our country. Over the past few years, the proliferation of fentanyl use has only made the crisis worse.
Combating this public health crisis requires collaboration among all levels of government, the medical community, law enforcement, and substance use treatment organizations.
The good news is that we have started to view addiction less as a moral failure and more as a treatable medical condition. To help those who struggle with addiction and prevent drug abuse in the first place, we need to understand the science of addiction.
The drug naloxone (Narcan) can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. Other drugs are coming to the market that directly block cravings for opiates and greatly reduce the probability of relapse. In order to truly address the opioid crisis, we need to work to prevent addiction before it takes hold, and expand evidence-based treatment options for individuals who struggle with opioid dependency.
This isn’t a partisan issue, and I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to marshal federal resources to help our communities fight this epidemic and save lives.