Advocates to call on Congress for opioid crisis funding

Press release and staff report
news@wbcowqel.com

On August 31st, in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day, advocates will rally for a federal response to the prescription opioid and heroin crisis. The location of the rally is Bucyrus City Hall, 500 South Sandusky, Avenue, Bucyrus, and it will start at 6 p.m. The rally will be one of dozens that are scheduled to occur simultaneously in cities and towns across the United States. The rallies are organized by the FED UP! Coalition, representing hundreds of thousands of families and individuals affected by the epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose deaths.

Speakers at the Bucyrus rally will include Stephen While with Senator Rob Portman’s office, Crystal Oertle, Michael Pack of Serenity Street, and other groups. There will also be educational and information tables from groups such as Racing for Recovery of Toledo, Maryhaven of Bucyrus, Marion/Crawford ADAMH Board, Together We Hurt Together We Heal, and more.

There will also be a free overdose prevention class at City Hall from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Registration is required by calling 419-562-7288. Participants will receive a free overdose prevention kit with two doses of naloxone.

At the Bucyrus rally, advocates will be demonstrating their frustration with Congress for failing to include an Executive Branch proposal for $1 billion in new funding in the recently passed Comprehensive Addiction and Treatment Act (CARA). They believe that CARA will have little impact unless Congress appropriates adequate funding for addiction treatment. “If members of Congress really care about controlling the opioid crisis, and I believe they do, it’s time for them to put their money where their mouth is” said Sarah Carman, Secretary/Coordinator, Ohio CAN Change Addiction Now. She believes that the $1 billion in new funding sought by the Obama administration is a bare minimum of what is needed to help states expand access to treatment.

In recent years rates of opioid addiction, caused by overprescribing of opioids, have skyrocketed. The large increase in opioid addiction has led to record high rates of overdose deaths, a flood of heroin into neighborhoods where it was previously unavailable and other health and social problems. According to the CDC, the country is experiencing the worst drug addiction epidemic in its history. In addition to seeking funding, FED UP! Supporters are also calling for tighter controls on pharmaceutical marketing of opioids and more cautious prescribing by doctors and dentists. “The epidemic of opioid addiction will only come to an end when doctors and dentists begin prescribing more cautiously” said Sarah Carman, Secretary/Coordinator, Ohio CAN Change Addiction Now.

Many demonstrators at the International Overdose Awareness Day rally will also head to Washington, DC on September 18th to participate in the fourth annual FED UP! Rally. They will be joined in Washington by thousands of people from across the country. The event will include speeches on the National Mall followed by a march to Capitol Hill.

More information about the event can be found at www.feduprally.org, www.facebook.com/feduprally, on Twitter @FEDUpRally, or by email at feduprally@gmail.com.