Issue Position: Addressing the Opioid Crisis

Issue Position

"Everyone has a family member or knows someone who is in the grips of opioids. I will continue to work with my colleagues to address this public health issue."

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there were 1,977 confirmed opioid-related overdose related deaths in 2017. This is unacceptable. The opioid epidemic does not discriminate: it affects all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds throughout our communities. I call on the Trump Administration in Washington to focus on expanding treatment and prevention efforts, instead of enacting stricter criminal penalties.

Congressman Neal has worked closely with community leaders, health care professionals, and law enforcement on efforts, including:

Introduced legislation designed to help a growing number of seniors in our society impacted by opioids

Introduced legislation to make it easier for first responders to provide lifesaving Naloxone treatment to overdose victims

Recently hosted federal and local officials in Shelburne Falls to discuss how communities in Western Massachusetts could identify ways to fix the opioid crisis

Hosted screenings of the moving HBO documentary entitled "Heroin: Cape Cod USA" to bring awareness to the implications of the crisis in all communities, not just our nation's larger cities

Supported hospitals and other parts of the health care community to ensure they have the tools they need to fight back against this public health crisis

Leading Democrat on the STOP Act which is designed to help stop fentanyl and carfentanil from crossing borders to our nation and into drug dealer hands

Continues to protect programs like Medicaid expansion in the Affordable Care Act that have played crucial roles in helping individuals and their families facing the crushing impacts of opioid addiction

Encouraged the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to provide real help and funding, not just talk, for opioid use disorders

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