In 2014, nearly 19,000 people died in the U.S. from overdose related to opioid pain relievers; in the same year 2,300 people in New York died due to drug overdose
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today urged the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to host community forums in New York State to discuss best practices and evidence-based initiatives to prevent and treat prescription drug abuse and heroin use. Last year, Michael Botticelli, Director of National Drug Control Policy, announced that the White House will be hosting the community forums across the country to focus on initiatives that would end the opioid epidemic. Senator Gillibrand wrote to the director to schedule these open discussions in New York due to increasing opioid-related deaths in the state.
“I’ve traveled the state over the last few months meeting with families and medical professionals and it’s clear: the opioid crisis is widespread, it’s growing, and it’s not going to get any better unless we take action. In New York, our state, county, and local governments, as well as community groups, health care providers, and advocacy organizations, have taken significant steps to respond to the opioid epidemic,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I have met with individuals across the state who are committed to tackling this problem and I know they would welcome the opportunity to attend a forum on best practices and evidence-based initiatives to combat the crisis. The community forums hosted by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy would be another step in the right direction to help raise awareness and promote best practices in our communities throughout the state to help end this epidemic.”
Senator Gillibrand has been touring the state, meeting with families and medical professionals to discuss the opioid epidemic and her legislation to help curb it. In the last few weeks Senator Gillibrand has traveled to Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Binghamton, the Hudson Valley, Long Island and New York City to meet with families, health care providers, and community organizations. Earlier this year, Senator Gillibrand introduced the bipartisan legislation Preventing Overprescribing for Pain Act, legislation that would require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue guidelines for the safe prescribing of opioids for the treatment of acute pain.