Immediate Solutions in the Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis is a national emergency. Drug overdoses, primarily opioids, have become the number one cause of accidental death in the United States, resulting in a decrease in life expectancy in our country and untold suffering for the families and friends of those who are addicted. Addiction is more than a family can manage, and we need to do more than imprison addicts, many of whom were prescribed the very drugs they became addicted to.

Expanded Treatment Centers,Not “More Prisons”

We must be willing to try new solutions, including comprehensive marijuana reform, expansion of treatment centers, aggressive prosecution of irresponsible pharmaceutical corporations, and decriminalization of possession for those who are addicted.

More Links:

Immediate Solutions in the Opioid Crisis
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2018/03/16/heroinopioid-
louisville-drug-addiction-crisis-drug-treatment/428176002/
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/02/kentuckyopioids/515775/

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/01/30/581930051/drugdistributors-shipped-20-8-million-painkillers-to-west-virginia-townof- 3-00

https://theoutline.com/post/3337/delawares-opioidcrisis?zd=11&zi=voxzty6b

https://www.fairshareonline.org/content/opioid-crisis-evolvesanonymous-company-loopholes-remain-gap

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/as-the-opioidepidemic-rages-the-fight-against-addiction-moves-to-an-ohiocourtroom/2018/04/07/97b82b84-2636-11e8-874b-d517e912f125_story.html?utm_term=.3512bdd25739

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/04/the-states-withthe-most-early-deaths/557627/