Political Quotes

“it is no secret that communities across the country are struggling to break the cycle of addiction to powerful opioids, including heroin. We are now seeing addiction creep into neighborhoods and communities of all sizes, both rural and urban. My home State of Vermont has not been spared, and it in fact has attracted much attention for its struggles with addiction. However in many ways, Vermont is ahead of much of the Nation when it comes to responding to the opioid epidemic. We long ago recognized the problem, and communities in Vermont have spent the better part of a decade coming together to address opioid addiction. In March I had the privilege of chairing a field hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Rutland, VT. It was the fourth time in the past 6 years that I brought the committee to Vermont to explore issues related to drug abuse. I heard powerful testimony discussing how communities are responding to addiction, rethinking decades-old approaches to prevention, treatment, and law enforcement efforts. Dr. Harry Chen, the Vermont Department of Health commissioner and a career emergency room physician, described what it means to recognize addiction as a public health issue, expanding evidence-based prevention and treatment services to all corners of the State. Vermont hospitals are also rethinking best practices in light of this epidemic.…”