Issue Position: Opiate Crisis

Issue Position

Rhode Island, like much of the country, is suffering a devastating overdose crisis. Too many families have lost loved ones to overdose, particularly heroin and opiates. The disease of addiction has struck every community in Rhode Island -- urban and rural, young and old, affluent and lower income. The disease of addiction does not discriminate.

Many factors have combined to create and fuel this tragedy. And the only way we will be able reverse this crisis is through a strategy that is broad as the factors which drive the addiction and overdose epidemic.

David is actively engaged with his colleagues in Congress taking the steps in Washington that will make a difference back here in Rhode Island. He is a cosponsor of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act which will transform the way we prevent, treat, and provide recovery services to individuals and families in need. He backed a successful supplemental appropriation to provide additional resources of the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services to help local communities act now.

David was the lead Democratic sponsor of legislation to tighten the controls on and protect youth from a new threat, so-called synthetic drugs which often mimic their traditional predecessors but with greater risks. This legislation ensures that our nation's drug control laws are keeping up with we are seeing on our streets.

Recognizing the overdose crisis has hit the northeast particularly hard, David has worked to unite the New England delegation around a common agenda to respond aggressively.

Because the pathway to addiction often starts with a prescription, David is leading the effort to support innovative pain treatment and management programs that do not rely on opiates and to encourage doctors to change prescribing habits.

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