One hundred fifteen people needlessly die every day across our states from opioid overdose. That's almost 42,000 deaths from opioids each year. One person's death to the scourge of opioids is one too many, but this public health issue has not been given the attention — and federal action — it deserves. In 2017, opioid overdoses killed more people than breast cancer, while there were only 30,000 deaths from prostate cancer.
While no one denies the criminal component of illegal opioid use, legislators must address the opioid epidemic in the same way as we treat other public health issues: by treating the disease. Like cancer, opioid addiction is a disease. It affects Americans of every age, race, ethnicity, political party, and socioeconomic status. For three years, I've read about increased awareness of the looming national epidemic, but state legislators have been debating and developing solutions — state by state — for almost a decade. I urge Congress to look to the states for innovative solutions.
