TOPEKA – (September 29, 2015) – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is urging Congress to expand prevention and education efforts to combat drug abuse.
Schmidt is one of 38 attorneys general to sign a letter to leadership of the U.S. House and Senate Judiciary Committees, urging them to support the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015.
The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act would provide states with the necessary tools to more effectively confront the growing challenge of heroin and opioid abuse and addiction.
The abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers is having a devastating effect on public health and safety in communities across the United States, including Kansas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses now surpass automobile accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death for Americans between the ages of 25 and 64. Researchers, the law enforcement community and treatment providers agree that the most effective way to address the challenges of this growing problem is to initiate a comprehensive response to the twin epidemics of opioid and heroin addiction that includes prevention, law enforcement strategies, addressing overdoses, expansion of evidence-based treatment and support for those in, or seeking, recovery.
“Heroin use is a reemerging problem across the state, including our rural areas,” Schmidt said. “Expanding these important efforts on the front end will provide important treatment options to increase the chances of avoiding the heartache of the devastating consequences of heroin and opioid addiction to the individual and their family.”
A copy of the letter sent to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees can be found at: http://1.usa.gov/1iIfoyt .