Disease of Addiction
More on Disease of Addiction
Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), a member of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force, secured the inclusion of key portions of his Opioid Treatment Access Act during the Energy and Commerce Committee’s markup of the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act.
Both doctors and politicians like Congressman Donald Norcross are saying a pandemic-era emergency order that lets providers treat addicts remotely should stick around.
Congressman Donald Norcross has been an advocate and an ally of the Camden County Addiction Awareness Task Force since its inception and has called for accountability from these corporations from the beginning.
“The idea of having to travel every day to pick up your medication is just another barrier set up,” said Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) of the loosening of prescribing rules. “It is time that we start treating [people with opioid use disorder] as you would your family, get them access to treatment and work with them just like you would any other disease.”
Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) issued the following statement following President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union Address.
Addiction is a neurobiological process, not a moral deficiency, and it needs to be treated as such. If the country is serious about ending the opioid epidemic, an excellent place to start is by removing restrictions on opioid treatment that create opportunity costs for people needing help and stigmatize them.
Last year there were 3,046 suspected overdose drug deaths in New Jersey, but recent state data shows this year’s total is on pace to top 3,200.
In response, South Jersey congressman Donald Norcross is pushing a plan to increase access to and modernize the process of obtaining methadone to treat opioid use disorders.
Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) introduces his Opioid Treatment Access Act.
A United States congressman from South Jersey is hoping to help those recovering from addiction nationwide get better access to one type of treatment, while also reducing the stigma surrounding it.