Issue Position: Heroin and Opioid Crisis

Issue Position

The heroin and opioid epidemic has ravaged Virginia and our nation, as the number of deaths caused by drug overdoses now far exceeds deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents and by firearms each year. As a State Senator, Jennifer served on the Governor's Task Force on Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse, and she has been working to change how doctors prescribe opioids, as well as to improve access to treatment for addiction and overdoses. She has patroned and passed bills to improve Virginia's prescription monitoring program, help get the lifesaving overdose reversal drug Narcan into the hands of more people, and allow Child Protective Services to help substance-exposed newborns and their mothers gain access to more resources to get and stay clean. She has also supported and advocated for Drug Courts, Virginia's Good Samaritan law, and laws that allow police and prosecutors to pursue charges against predatory drug dealers.

In Congress, she will continue to work to secure funding for substance use prevention and treatment, to stem the overprescribing of dangerous opioids, and to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable healthcare, including treatment services.

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