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Recent news revealed that drug addicts will finally receive legislative help.
Recent news revealed that drug addicts will finally receive legislative help.
The federal government is trying to raise funds for implementing programs on heroin addiction. The Obama administration made a plan to improve drug addiction treatments and to find prevention methods. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services estimated that almost 2.2 million people need medication against opioid abuse. However, only 1 million receive it.
President Obama asked Congress to make a $1.1 billion investment for two years. Usually, such a budget request is futile, but at the moment it seems to be a necessary move. It is believed Americans are likely to die from drug overdose rather than from car accidents or any other disease. Two years ago, 47, 000 individuals died from opioid abuse.
The majority took opioid painkillers given by their doctors; others died from heroin abuse which is far worse than any other drug. According to statistics, in New Hampshire the rate of opioid abuse is higher than in any other states. In the last years, heroin has been frequently found in opioid prescriptions, making the drug a cheaper alternative to other medication.
It is said that users face difficulties in controlling the purity of the drug. Therefore, people who use face a higher possibility of an overdose than those who take other type of medication. New Hampshire was not focused on addiction cases. Now the state doesn’t have the necessary means to provide proper treatments to individuals with such problems.
Nonetheless, the Obama administration will spend almost $127 million this year on treatments against drug abuse. Moreover, it will need another $90 million for developing programs which can help local governments to find drug prevention methods. In addition, such programs will give better access to medication like naloxone, a drug with reversal effects.
The Congress manifested a bipartisan interest for the federal government to handle heroin abuse. Sylvia Burwell, secretary at the Health and Human Services, announced she will be receiving news from both Republicans and Democrats concerning this issue. What’s more, Senator Rob Portman created a new law that focuses on giving patients the best treatments against drug abuse.
Senate members from both parties showed interest in validating the new legislation. The fact that drug addicts will finally receive legislative help is an extremely important action as it could diminish the mortality rate among American citizens.
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