Fighting the Opioid Epidemic

For months, I’ve met with parents, teachers, and doctors all concerned about one thing – fentanyl.  Our communities are fighting an opioid epidemic on multiple fronts, and we need more resources to put a stop to this dangerous cycle of addiction. 

Since April 2020, overdose deaths have increased by 35.7% in Washington State – a tragic rate that is higher than the national average – and it’s only getting worse as we deal with the ongoing pandemic. 

I drew attention to the deadly impact fentanyl is having on Eastern Washington during an Energy and Commerce hearing this week, and I also helped pass two important pieces of legislation to combat the larger opioid epidemic, including:

• The Opioid Prescription Verification Act to help local law enforcement monitor “pharmacy shopping” and spot bad actors who go from pharmacy to pharmacy and abuse prescriptions.
• The Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act to create a public awareness campaign about the dangers of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. 

These bills are a good start, but we still have a long way to go in this fight. I am going to continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get deadly fentanyl off our streets and out of the hands of our children before this epidemic gets any worse.

Click here to learn more about my efforts to get deadly drugs off our streets and keep our kids safe.