State Efforts to Crack Down on Opioid Epidemic

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, recently I was proud to vote for a package of bills here on the floor of the United States House intended to help crack down on the terrible epidemic of prescription opioid abuse and heroin abuse across our Nation.

Today, I want to recognize the efforts in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to assist in the goal of fighting back against all drug use. Specifically, a new law authored by State Representative Matt Baker, who represents a portion of Pennsylvania's Fifth Congressional District, would go after designer drugs in which different chemicals are combined to create new drugs.

This new law will speed up the process in adding these drugs to the State's list of banned drugs, enabling law enforcement to arrest and prosecute the individuals responsible. Giving members of our law enforcement community the tools that they need to thwart illegal drug manufacturers will save lives.

Mr. Speaker, if you want to successfully fight back against a problem, you surround it. I am proud to see great lifesaving solutions coming from both the Federal and the State levels, with additional community action in the form of local roundtables and townhall meetings.

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