Issue Position: Opioids

Issue Position

It is clear that the Opioid Crisis is affecting families across America, Washington state, and in our communities. We cannot wait for the federal government to act to end this epidemic. In our city streets, schools, rural towns, hospital emergency rooms, jail cells, and funeral homes we are seeing firsthand that we cannot arrest and imprison our way out of this problem.

The Opioid Epidemic is a public health problem (much like the tuberculosis, polio, and more recently the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s). While the Washington state legislature has made a start on tackling this issue, we can and must do so much more.

What is needed is a set of solutions that closes the gap between what existing research has shown to be effective and the practices that are currently in use. Like his current approaches to affordable housing and mental health, my opponent continues to offer solutions based on outdated models.

I'm committed to adopting a comprehensive public health approach and evidence-based prevention and treatment practices. If we make this investment in our communities, we will not only be able to overcome the current Opioid Epidemic, but will be in a better position to prevent future crises.

We must adopt a four-pronged, Public Health Approach with specific actions to:

Prevent misuse and addiction by developing and implementing coordinated and comprehensive education, screening, and initial response across the spectrum of our community.
Reduce overdose deaths and other harmful consequences by ensuring access to reversal medicine and increasing information sharing between police, hospitals, and support organizations.
Invest in comprehensive, evidence-based addiction prevention and treatment initiatives, with the goal of expanding treatment accessibility, increasing the addiction response workforce, ensuring quality care, and reducing the stigma associated with addiction.
Improve addiction care in the criminal justice system to produces better outcomes with regard to future substance use and post-release arrests.

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