One of the most serious problems impacting Maine and America is the alarming and growing heroin and opioid epidemic. In recent years, drug abuse has skyrocketed in Maine and across the country, causing unthinkable harm to our families, friends and communities.
There isn’t a family I know in Maine that hasn’t been affected one way or another by this crisis, including my own. As a father, my heart breaks for each and every child who has suffered from this epidemic and his or her parents. As our law enforcement agencies, treatment centers, social service networks and families work together to curb this dangerous and deadly drug problem, there are critical steps that our federal government must take to help end this tragedy.
Programs proven to be successful must be supported, from border security to interdiction to treatment to long-term recovery. Part of the solution for Maine is more drug courts and better monitoring of prescription drug distribution, both of which I voted to fund last year in Congress.
My work on the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic in the U.S. House of Representatives is developing best-practice strategies to coordinate local, state and federal assistance to end this scourge on our families.
A recent task force hearing with expert substance abuse clinicians examined how unsuspecting individuals get hooked on routine prescription drugs to fight post-surgery pain, and then end up craving the deadly high of cheap, available and powerful heroin. We also explored the effectiveness of different medical treatments to fight opioid addiction. Results are best when mental and emotional health care are part of the compassionate healing process. That means recovery and sobriety should be built around loving family support and patient accountability for future healthy behavior.
I salute our Maine senators, Susan Collins and Angus King, for their efforts to advance the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, new legislation that will provide emergency federal funding and other needed resources for Maine. In a letter this upcoming week, I will formally ask House Speaker Paul Ryan to quickly bring this bill to the House floor for a vote. Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate must get this bill to the president’s desk and, hopefully, signed into law as soon as possible. Doing so will boost the efforts of our Maine families to better help their addicted loved ones with the treatment and long-term recovery to live drug-free and healthy lives.
To me, the saddest cruelty of this frightening epidemic is the nearly 1,000 defenseless Maine babies born each year affected by drugs. Nationally, more than 20,000 drug-affected babies are born each year.
That’s why I am a proud original co-sponsor of the Cradle Act. I’m pushing this bill that provides clear guidelines for residential pediatric recovery centers to receive Medicaid dollars in order to stay open. These facilities are designed and professionally staffed to provide critically important early clinical care so drug-affected babies can recover from the drugs poisoning their tiny bodies. It’s not fair to force our youngest Americans to struggle for life in our local hospitals ill-equipped to provide the specialized care they need.
An increasing number of families in our 2nd Congressional District are being hurt and broken by drug abuse and addiction, and by alcoholism. This pain only adds to the many uncertainties and difficulties already in our lives. These can be scary times — I know. Let’s all pull together to solve this very serious problem. We all have a role, including Congress.
Rep. Bruce Poliquin, a Republican, represents Maine’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives.