VOTE NOW: How to fight the opioid epidemic

1,227. In 2017, 1,227 Virginians lost their lives to an opioid overdose. The opioid epidemic has taken the lives of too many. Addiction cannot continue to plague our country’s future.

Given that this Saturday is National Drug Takeback Day, I wanted to draw your attention to how Congress and the administration are fighting back. Last year, the President designated the crisis a public health emergency, mobilizing federal resources to address the crisis with a new level of urgency. In addition, Congress passed a series of bills, most recently the omnibus, taking critical steps forward. This government funding bill provides billions in new funds toward research, prevention, and treatment to bring this crisis to a halt.However, over a hundred Americans still die from an overdose each day, so our work is far from over.