Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Elijah Cummings have introduced a bill that would make $100 billion available to deal with the opioid crisis over a ten year period. The funding will be sent to communities that have immense opioid problems and be used for treatment instead of enforcement. They believe sufferers of the opioid crisis should be treated as if they had a medical disease rather than as criminals.
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/383787-warren-cummings-seek-100b-to-fight-opioid-epidemic
This bill is definitely a step in the right direction, but do you think it will gain support and eventually be passed? Will our governmental leaders work to address the opioid crisis through bills similar to this or use the bills to push their agendas?
I hope it works out. But I fear that many Pharma corporations are also lobbying for politicians (or at least pay lobbyists) and politicians are then bound to serve these corporations through tax cuts and regulations that enable doctors to prescribe as much as they want.
ReplyDeleteI fear we would go through a similar situation like in Portugal where as the years passed by the level and support of treatment that was being provided would decrease. I do hope though that the bill passes given that the communities affected immensely by the crisis would benefit from the funding.
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DeleteI think people who are informed about the matter/experts will support it. But there always seems to be a fight over the allocation of money within our government, so I'm iffy about the support it will receive. Love the vision though!
ReplyDeleteI feel like there is such a gridlock in Congress, that it is very difficult to pass legislation. Especially when dealing with something like the Opioid Crisis, which is plagued by negative stereotypes and stigma.
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