Drug addiction has become an epidemic in the United States, Sen. Rob Portman said in Saturday's GOP address, while calling for the passage of a bipartisan bill that he said will "help repair our communities, our families, and our country."
The Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act will "help more Americans put their lives back together and help individuals achieve their God-given potential," the
Ohio Republican said, noting that heroin and prescription drug overdoses have now surpassed car accidents as the number one cause of injury-related deaths nationwide.
"Last year, 2,482 of my fellow Ohioans died from drug overdoses," he said. "On average, they say 129 Americans die every single day as a result of an overdose."
For many people, the problem starts with developing an addiction to prescription painkillers and then turning to heroin, which is less expensive and more accessible.
The bipartisan legislation, called CARA, targets prevention and education resources to prevent abuse before it starts, devotes resources to evidence-based treatment and recovery programs, helps first responders reverse overdoses to save lives, and expands prescription drug take-back programs while expanding monitoring to prevent over prescribing, said Portman.
"This legislation is moving and that's good," he said. "If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, know that you are not alone. There is hope."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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