Blumenthal, Murphy Applaud Senate Passage Of Opioid Bill

WASHINGTON -- The Senate’s passage of a bill addressing drug addiction will give communities the tools they need to fight the opioid epidemic, says its co-sponsor, Sen. Richard Blumenthal , D-Conn.

U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy, left, and Richard Blumenthal, Democrats from Connecticut, both voted for the opioid bill that passed the Senate Thursday. Blumenthal was the bill's co-sponsor.
Photo Credit: *File*

Carol Reif

03/10/2016 3:00 p.m.

The Senate on Thursday passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which establishes federal grants that state and local governments can use to fund treatment and prevention programs. It also increases the availability of medications, such as Naloxone, used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.

“In the face of a spiraling opioid crisis, this bipartisan legislation will give communities the tools they need to tackle the deadly epidemic head on,” Blumenthal said Thursday.

Deaths caused by drug overdoses have skyrocketed in Connecticut, Blumenthal said.

In 2015, more than 720 Connecticut residents died from drug overdoses, 415 of which were due to heroin use.

Specifically, CARA would:

Expand prevention and education efforts -- particularly those aimed at teens, parents and other caretakers, and aging populations.
Expand the availability of lifesaving medications like Naloxone to law enforcement agencies and other first responders.
Expand resources to identify and treat incarcerated individuals suffering from addiction.
Expand disposal sites for unwanted prescription medications to keep them out of the hands of our children and adolescents.

The provision Blumenthal authored would allow physician assistants and nurse practitioners to access online patient databases that track prescriptions for controlled substances.

Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, said that not only had he voted for CARA, but he is also calling on Congress to increase funding for addiction programs.

Murphy said passage of the Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act would also expand access to specialized prescription drug and heroin addiction medication-assisted treatment.

Murphy also supported an amendment to the act that would earmark $600 million to fund programs to combat heroin and prescription drug abuse.

U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District, co-sponsor of the bill, recently introduced the Prevent Drug Addiction Act of 2016, which also passed the Senate.

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