Issue Position: Address The Opioid Epidemic As A Public Health Crisis

Substance abuse and addiction impact our state on individual and systemic levels. In Minnesota- individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction issues face housing insecurity, difficulty maintaining employment, and are compelled to commit crimes at higher rates. We must treat the opioid crisis as a public health issue, and not a criminal justice issue.

Create a single-payer, universal healthcare system and fight back against cuts to Medicare and Medicaid at the federal level
Hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for the harm they have caused communities
Fund culturally-competent addiction and rehabilitation programs that keep families together
Invest in harm-reduction strategies, such as safe injection sites and equipping police officers with Narcan

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