On the recordJanuary 30, 2020
The opioid epidemic does not discriminate based on age, race, sex or socioeconomic status. It is a plague that affects Americans in all regions of the country, including Virginia's Sixth Congressional District. In 2016, the United States experienced an astonishing 60,000 deaths related to drug overdose; nearly two-thirds of which involved opioids. That means that more than 91 Americans die from an opioid overdose every day, making it the leading cause of death for people under the age of 50. This crisis is being fueled in part by a synthetic opioid known as fentanyl, a drug 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. In 2018 alone, more than 800 people died from fentanyl overdoses in Virginia. I applaud my colleagues for voting to save lives this week by renewing the classification of fentanyl as a Schedule I narcotic. Through commonsense solutions like this and support for first responders and treatment programs, I am confident we can help our fellow Americans struggling with opioid abuse and end this insidious epidemic. ____________________
