In Case You Missed It: Congressman Collins Speaks on the Opioid Epidemic

May 11, 2016

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Collins spoke on the House floor on the rule for consideration of H.R. 5046, the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016, and H.R. 4641, to establish a Pain Management Best Practices Interagency Task Force. In his remarks, Congressman Collins talks about the impact the opioid epidemic has had on Georgia.

“Opioid abuse hits communities across the country, rich and poor, rural, suburban, and urban, and it takes a major toll.

In 2012, an estimated 2.1 million people in the United States were suffering from substance abuse disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers. An estimated 467,000 people were addicted to heroin.

In the same year, in Georgia, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found that prescription drugs played a role in 592 deaths in 152 of Georgia’s 159 counties for which autopsies were performed.

The bills before us today take steps to combat the opioid epidemic and drug addiction.”

Click here for Congressman Collins’ full remarks on the House floor