CRIME »» SUBSTANCE ABUSE »» DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT »» Oct 16, 2023

Critics of the War on Drugs say not enough resources are used to counter the main reason for our drug problem - the demand for illicit drugs. Health advocates say that like alcoholism, drug addiction is a disease. They claim prison is no cure for millions of American drug users, nor is it the end of their addiction problems. They also claim that compared to incarceration, treatment for drug addiction is much cheaper and has more long-term benefits for both drug addicts and society. Between 2017 and 2018, nearly 71,000 Americans died from drug overdoses. It could be said the demand for certain illicit drugs wax and wane over time, and that opioids are now the current scourge. The use of and addiction to natural opioids including heroin, morphine, and prescription pain relievers like oxycontin has killed more than 450,000 Americans since 2000. In 2017, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl accounted for 31,000 deaths. Millions of Americans need treatment for drug addiction but few receive it. Substance abuse disorders pose a heavy burden on society, endangering individual and family health and well-being, tearing through communities, and sapping resources from the health care system. Advocates say that substance addiction is a treatable disorder but will require a multi-faceted strategy - including more educational outreach programs, treatment facilities, medical personnel and treatment options. Proposed Legislation: Reintroduction of H.R.6311 - Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2021 Prospective Sponsor: Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large) I oppose reforming current drug addiction treatment policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Speaker Mike Johnson (LA). I support establishing programs, grants, and other activities to address substance use disorders by: 1.) Establishing a program for purchasing and distributing opioid overdose reversal drugs for states and Indian tribes. 2.) Addressing substance use, particularly in states, tribes, territories, and localities with disproportionately high drug overdose rates. 3.) Increasing access to preventive, medical, recovery, and related services. 4.) Developing innovative models of delivering treatment and harm reduction services and expanding the treatment capacity of Medicaid providers. 5.) Issuing model standards of care for treatment services and recovery residences and awarding grants for training health care professionals. 6.) Supporting prevention and treatment services for workers, addiction and pain management research, and data collection on substance use disorders. 7.) Requiring dispensers, distributors, and manufacturers of schedule II controlled substances including oxycodone (with the exception of opioid treatment programs), to certify that they maintain effective drug diversion controls. 8.) Making violators subject to specified civil and criminal penalties with collected penalties to be used for the grant programs and other substance use disorder activities established under the bill. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

Winning Option »» I support establishing programs, grants, and other activities to address substance use disorders by: 1.) Establishing a program for purchasing and distributing opioid overdose reversal drugs for states and Indian tribes. 2.) Addressing substance use, particularly in states, tribes, territories, and localities with disproportionately high drug overdose rates. 3.) Increasing access to preventive, medical, recovery, and related services. 4.) Developing innovative models of delivering treatment and harm reduction services and expanding the treatment capacity of Medicaid providers. 5.) Issuing model standards of care for treatment services and recovery residences and awarding grants for training health care professionals. 6.) Supporting prevention and treatment services for workers, addiction and pain management research, and data collection on substance use disorders. 7.) Requiring dispensers, distributors, and manufacturers of schedule II controlled substances including oxycodone (with the exception of opioid treatment programs), to certify that they maintain effective drug diversion controls. 8.) Making violators subject to specified civil and criminal penalties with collected penalties to be used for the grant programs and other substance use disorder activities established under the bill. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

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