Rep Buckbee: Proposing Public Health Solutions to the Opioid Crisis
To the Editor,
The first responsibility of any elected person acting in the best interests of our community. The legislature is considering many ideas this session, many more in fact than I had originally thought we would be able to consider based on the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To me, and in the perspective of my fellow residents, our state government should be focused on legislative initiatives that create a clear pathway to recovery. Recovery has different meanings for everyone. An unfortunate side effect of the pandemic has been an uptick in the misuse and abuse of opioids. Before we ended business last March, I had put forth many ideas that would help curb the opioid epidemic. Ideas that New Milford has proven effective.
This session, I have re-introduced and testified in support of several of these initiatives. These proposals would institute new laws that would provide first responders GPS in response to opioid crises, create stronger partnerships among police and mental health authorities so that impacted individuals are provided with appropriate care options, and to provide police officers greater flexibility in responding to suspected cases of overdose.
However, it dismays me that some concepts to limit the introduction or increase penalties on these harmful substances to our community go unheard. I have proposed common sense ideas to impose harsher penalties on those who have dealt lethal doses of opioids. One single opioid-related death is far too many, but when the same dealer is responsible for multiple deaths, then there is a clear and present danger to our community – which is why I strongly believe harsher penalties should be assessed to these convicted criminals.
I believe we, as the legislature, should be considering these types of public health measures before discussing the imposition of new taxes and fees. Businesses continue to struggle with the pandemic, which is exacerbating economic stress on many, but ultimately impacting all of us. Instead of taking the time to figure out how to take more cash from your wallets, let’s talk about keeping harmful drugs off our streets.
I remain steadfast in my approach to eradicating opioids from their infringement on our daily lives. Connecticut residents deserve a legislature that is dedicated to preserving their public health and overall safety, and I will always fight for that.
To learn more about the issues I am engaging in this session, you can go to my website at RepBuckbee.com or send me an e-mail at Bill.Buckbee@housegop.ct.gov.
Sincerely,
Billy Buckbee