Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, America's opioid crisis is far from resolved. According to the American Medical Association, over 40 states have reported an increase in opioid overdose deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Despite the steady decrease in opioid related deaths in 2017, 2018, and 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the opioid epidemic in Rhode Island. Opioid overdose remains the leading cause of accidental death in Rhode Island. In the first seven months of 2020, Rhode Island experienced a 33 percent increase in overdose deaths compared to the same period last year. And every day we are at risk of losing more and more people to overdoses, with recent numbers showing that Black and Hispanic Rhode Islanders are disproportionately experiencing overdose related deaths. Over the years, State Opioid Response funding has been critical to responding to this deadly epidemic. This funding has helped to provide Rhode Islanders with adequate resources to combat drug abuse and prevent overdoses before they turn deadly. State Opioid Response funding has allowed for more support and treatment for people suffering from addiction to get the help they need and put them on a path toward recovery. This funding increases access to naloxone so that people in our communities are trained on identifying an opioid overdose and know how to stop the harmful effects of overdose. As we say in Rhode Island, ``an overdose doesn't mean it's over.…”