White House proposes more money to battle heroin epidemic

The class of drugs includes heroin and some prescription painkillers such as oxycodone.

The last $90 million in new funding would go towards expanding state-level prescription drug overdose prevention strategies, increasing the availability of medication-assisted treatment programs, improving access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone and supporting targeted enforcement activities.

The largest chunk of the $1 billion is $920 million given to states to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid abuse.

Obama said the additional funding is needed as overdose deaths have overtaken vehicle accident deaths in the last couple of years, with 28,648 prescription pain medications and heroin related deaths in the US 2014.

President Obama is set to unveil a billion-dollar plan to fight heroin and opioid abuse. He cited reductions in prescription drug abuse among young people and adults and some “leveling off” in the increase in heroin deaths.

The Obama administration has previewed a number of budget proposals that Obama and his aides believe may have some appeal to Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress. Because opioid abuse is an issue that cuts across party lines and geography, it’s an area Republicans have reason to work with the Democratic White House, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell told reporters on a conference call. Our two part special report in October 2009, called “Heroin High”, was honored with an Emmy award. These include OH, southern states such as Kentucky and those in the Northeast, especially New Hampshire, which is holding its presidential primary there next week. “I’ve long supported federal funding for efforts that combat the prescription drug and heroin use epidemic, and I will do everything in power to make sure Congress provides the resources necessary to support these programs in the future”.

“What we have now is a pandemic”, she said.

The Obama administration will propose a significant boost in federal spending to battle the nation’s heroin addiction epidemic when the president unveils his budget recommendations next week.

The Cabinet Secretary revealed Tuesday 2.2 million Americans need treatment for opioid addiction but only 1 million are now receiving it.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, is the lead author of a bill that focuses on making sure that patients get the best, evidence-based treatments. The funds would support tough and smart strategies to combat this plague, including support for law enforcement and better access to treatment and prevention programs.