WJZ Takes A Look At Legislation Designed To Fight The Opioid Epidemic
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A grim report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse: Maryland is among the top five states with the highest rates of opioid-related overdose deaths. Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings has introduced federal legislation to fight the opioid epidemic nationwide.
That same report says the death rate in Maryland has consistently been above the national average since since 1999.
The epidemic nationwide has gone from prescription painkillers to heroin and now to fentanyl.
In Maryland alone, fentanyl overdoses have gone from 25 in 2012 to 1,700 last year.
Cummings is proposing a federal committment of $100 billion over the next 10 years to fight the opioid epidemic, based on the same model used to fight aids.
"Some of the greatest advocates of this kind of legislation are people who have been affected by it -- a family member, a cousin, an employee -- and I expect because the problem is growing at a phenomonal rate, sadly, sadly, there will be people who will be affected by it. And they will come and they will try to help us," Cummings said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says in a 15-month period, there were more than 142,000 suspected overdoses, an increase of 30 percent.
Cummings believes his bill could pass, but must get past the stigma of drug addiction.
"They said, 'Oh, that's a moral failing.' But it's a disease, and we need to treat it like that," he said.
$500 million a year would expand access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone. $4 billion a year would provide funding to states, territories and tribal governments.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is sponsering the bill in the Senate.
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