Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (MI-14) wrote the following op-ed featured today by The Hill regarding the opioid epidemic sweeping the nation. Read below:
“Prescribe until patients achieve pain relief.” A mantra that has destroyed lives and torn apart so many American families. The opioid epidemic has hit our country in a major way. Every 12 minutes, someone in the United States dies of a drug overdose. In Michigan, we have been hit especially hard by this crisis. From 1999 to 2014, Michigan’s drug death rate has grown faster than the national average.
While Congress has been criticized for its lack of action and gridlock. On May 11, 2016, we came together to overwhelmingly to support H.R. 5046, the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act, or the “OPEN” Act. In an almost 100 percent bipartisan effort, Congress sought to bring relief to the millions of American families affected by this painful epidemic.
The passage of the OPEN Act provides over 100 million dollars a year for the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program that will address the opioid abuse epidemic. The program will provide assistance and services related to opioid abuse epidemic.
While there is no one – stop shop piece of legislation to stop this crisis, I am pleased by my colleagues’ commitment to address this fatal epidemic. In recent days, we have passed more than a dozen bills designed to address the opioid epidemic infiltrating parts of my district such as Oakland County where heroin-related deaths have increased dramatically and have expanded at an alarming rate community-wide.
As a mother, I can only imagine the pain and grief faced by parents of a child lost as a result of an addiction or overdose. In my district, I know this image is far too often the reality for parents, grandparents, friends and families. While legislation could never bring back a loved one, it is my hope that begin to shield others from such grave loss.
Inspiringly, the most recent pieces of legislation have received tremendous bipartisan support and are slated to be signed into law by President Obama. I seek to support all legislation that endeavors to address issues associated with the opioid epidemic, including prescription limits, Good Samaritan laws that protect individuals who attempt to save overdose victims, and support for addicted pregnant women.
I will continue to support the bipartisan effort to combat opioid addiction and abuse. We must continue to produce innovative ideas that provide all those affected by this epidemic with the relief they need and deserve. Again, there is no easy cure to solving this epidemic, but I believe by boldly and insistently combatting opioid abuse we will turn the tide and save lives in the state of Michigan and across the country!
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