Urging a Swift Response from Congress to the Overdose Crisis
By “recommendations,” Christie was referring to a list of recommendations issued by the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, which Christie was appointed to lead in March 2017 and chaired until December 2017.
Some of the more salient recommendations from the Commission:
- An expanded drug court system
- Expanded insurance coverage for addiction treatment
- Streamlined federal funding for addiction treatment programs and services
- Greater access to FDA-approved Medication-Assisted Treatment for addiction
- Increasing emergency responders’ access to the life-saving drug naloxone in cases of overdose
- Tightened prescribing requirements for opiate painkiller medications
In yesterday’s tweet, Christie thanked both the Administration (for adopting the Commission’s proposals) and the House of Representatives (for passage of the bills), and urged expedited passage in the Senate.
Addiction and Overdose in America – Stats on the National Drug Epidemic
The fact that a record number of Americans died from overdose last year is not surprising on the basis of statistics like the following:
- More than 175 American lives are lost every day to opiates alone, according to the Commission’s final report to the President.
- The rate at which drug overdose deaths are increasing is reportedly also at a record high.
- Opiate overdoses kill roughly five people every hour.
Are you or someone you love at risk of overdose?
Related Articles:
How to Cope with the Emotional Effects after a Drug Overdose
What to Do if Someone You Love Is at Risk of Overdose
Keep Learning: 12 Things You Might Not Know About Addiction-Related Dangers
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