Providence Journal - Multi-pronged approach to drug crisis

Op-Ed

By: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Jennifer from East Providence started using uppers at 16. Then Percocet, then heroin. She struggled to shake her addiction, failing court-ordered counseling. Finally, she sought help at CODAC Behavioral Health in Cranston and broke heroin's grip. Now 28, Jennifer is excelling in community college, with plans to attend law school.

Ordeals like Jennifer's are too common. In 2015, overdoses were responsible for the deaths of more than 20 Rhode Islanders a month on average -- more than homicides, car accidents, and suicides combined. Burrillville lost six residents to drug overdoses during the first three months of last year alone.

Opioid addiction is widespread, affecting people from all walks of life in every corner of the country. That's why I worked for more than three years to pass the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which was signed into law this month by President Obama.

The roots of this public health crisis are complex. Opioids have been routinely prescribed in massive quantities, sometimes without any consideration of patients' history with addiction. Bottles of opioids sat idly in millions of American medicine cabinets, fueling the illegal recreational market. After people become addicted to prescription pills, many turn to heroin as a cheaper alternative. With the addition of the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl, rates of overdose have climbed in recent years. All of these factors add up to a public health emergency.

The new law takes a thorough, multi-pronged approach to our drug crisis. It will help ensure that prescribers are following responsible guidelines, and that unused prescription drugs are safely disposed of. It increases access to the overdose antidote Narcan, and provides more access to effective medication-assisted treatment. It will support new, more comprehensive community treatment solutions.

This legislation was a truly collaborative effort. We are fortunate in Rhode Island to have a terrific recovery community. Local organizations such as CODAC, Phoenix House, and Anchor Recovery provided invaluable input. Anchor Recovery founder Jim Gillen, a pioneer in the recovery community, helped develop this legislation before losing his battle with cancer last summer. And the effort has received tremendous bipartisan support in Congress, as the opioid crisis has rippled through red and blue states alike. Now, after years of research and negotiations, we are at last taking national action to save lives and make a difference for families struggling with addiction.

Jennifer's story shows recovery can be a daunting journey, with inadequate support. In 2013, nearly nine out of 10 people in need of drug treatment in this country did not get it. And for many, there are relapses on the road to recovery.

We owe it to every person walking that road to provide adequate resources. The new law will reach more families if we honor its promise with real funding. We have asked to commit $600 million to the crisis, so we can deploy resources immediately. There are too many lives at stake.

Rhode Island has seen a significant decrease in opioid prescriptions, suggesting that doctors are prescribing more thoughtfully. Gov. Gina Raimondo, Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott and the General Assembly are making Rhode Island a national leader in addressing the epidemic. Along with the tools in the new federal law, these smart policies will help Rhode Islanders work together: to save as many lives as we can, as soon as we can.

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