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Drug addiction and overdose is a moral crisis Fairfax, Bell: Drug addiction and overdose is a moral crisis

Roanoke Times - 6/3/2017

By Justin Fairfax and John Bell

Fairfax, a former federal prosecutor, is one of three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in the June 13 primary. Bell represents parts of Loudoun and Prince William counties in the House of Delegates.

Until recently, drug addiction in this country was viewed as a law enforcement problem. Lately, as the face and stigma of addiction has changed, we have come to realize that addictions are a medical condition that require treatment, not jail time. Bottom line: we now know that we cannot arrest our way out of this problem, but must work hard to treat addiction and remove the stigma that interferes with early intervention.

Here in Virginia, like much of the country, we are facing an opioid crisis of major proportions. Often starting with prescription pain killers and leading to more hard core drugs like heroin, opioid addiction can happen fast before people realize even what is happening. In 2014, more people died from opioid addictions than car accidents in Virginia. In November of last year, Governor Terry McAuliffe declared the opioid crisis to be a public health emergency - an event, either natural or manmade, that creates a health risk to the public and the administration feels there is a current threat to Virginia communities and the economy.

Addictions are medical issues, meaning that the health care bill that passed through the House of Representatives recently should be terrifying to everyone who understands the gravity of the situation. Allowing insurance companies to pick and choose what they will cover leaves millions of Americans exposed - out of the realm for even hopes of coverage - and millions more will be denied coverage by life's circumstances.

In the past, treating drug use as a criminal offense led to mass incarceration, a prison industrial complex, and a three strikes policy that has negatively impacted families in the worst way possible. Our criminal justice system does not offered addicts the help they need to break free of addiction and has, in turn, exacerbated an already awful situation. People struggling with drug addictions need help and treatment, not a jail cell.

The best way to prevent addictions and overdose is to keep people from getting addicted in the first place. We need to prevent access to these drugs all together - like monitoring emergency room refills and working with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to establish guidelines to prevent access. We also need to increase awareness education so that addiction can be identified and treated as early as possible.

The next administration will face issues that will impact Virginia for decades to come. It is important for our future that we elect people who grasp these issues and can see them through from start to finish. The tests of a moral society is how we treat the least of society. With the threats coming from Washington, it will be imperative to have advocates at every level of government to ensure that we keep moving forward.