Nation's Opioid Epidemic
Floor Speech
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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I first thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Clark for leading this effort, Congressman Guinta, as well as Congresswoman Ann Kuster, who have worked tirelessly to move the heroin task force agenda forward. I applaud their persevering efforts and House leadership's acknowledgement of the danger and devastation the heroin and opioid epidemic has caused across our great Nation.
This serious situation impacts every county in the 9th District of Ohio, stretching across all of northern Ohio. We have been impacted more heavily due to the major Ohio turnpike, I-80/I-90, and easy transport networks that link to international smuggling access points.
The largest of our district's five counties, Cuyahoga County, recently declared a public health emergency because of record rates of overdoses. The county lost a staggering 181 citizens in the first 4 months of 2016, a rate of overdose death that, if continued, would more than double the 2015 numbers for that county.
Mayors across our district report to me the dramatic increase in emergency calls connected to the epidemic. For northern Ohio, spikes in opioid overdoses are outpacing the ability of local hospitals and rehabilitation facilities to respond effectively.
This week's legislative activity is imperative to communities across America. I encourage our colleagues in leadership to work expeditiously to conference the legislation. Send it to the President with funding immediately. People's lives and local community stability and safety are waiting for our action.
Tonight I would like to share the stories of three young adults--two named Matt and one named Tracy--who have been victimized by the heroin and opioid epidemic.
The first is Matt who was 29 from Toledo, Ohio, who never thought he would become a drug addict. He never knew anything about drugs. He never even smoked cigarettes as a youth. He had a great upbringing and a good home with an amazingly loving family. He went to private schools from kindergarten through high school, then to college at a Division I university on a full athletic scholarship for baseball after graduating with a 4.0 GPA.
So what happened, you ask?
He tore his rotator cuff as a sophomore in college and was given a prescription for 90 percent Percocet. It only took about a week before he became physically dependent and totally reliant. Percocet became the gateway portal to self-annihilation.
To sum up, his next year, Percocet pills got expensive, and he dropped out of college. And one day, not being able to find any pills because of the price and lack of availability, he was offered heroin, which was cheaper and stronger. And from that day on, he was hooked and injected heroin for 9 years.
Matt transformed into a shell of who he used to be, a shell of who he wanted to be and who he always imagined to become. Matt lost everything and everyone in his life because of heroin. After 13 arrests in four different states, he is now a convicted felon. He overdosed and died, having been kept alive for 5 days by machines in ICU.
How could this have happened to such a promising young man?
Heroin and opioid abuse sees no boundaries. It is death masquerading as medicine.
In Toledo, there are only 16 federally funded detox beds for an estimated 10,000 opiate addicts. We simply have to have legislation that allows for more detox facilities. There are programs like Team Recovery that have made a difference in the lives of individuals like Tracy, whose story I will place in the Record.
Let me just say that if there are families out there who need assistance, one can call 1-800-662-4357 for advice and direction. That is an addiction hotline, 1-800-662-HELP. The life you save may be your own or that of a relative, friend, or loved one.
Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank my colleagues Frank Guinta and Ann Kuster who have worked tirelessly to move the Heroin Task Force agenda forward. I applaud their persevering efforts and House Leaderships' acknowledgment of the danger and devastation the heroin and opioid epidemic has caused across this great nation.
This serious situation impacts every county in our 9th Ohio district that stretches across all of northern Ohio. We have been impacted more heavily due to the major Ohio Turnpike, I-80-90, and easy transport networks that link to international smuggling access points.
The largest of our district's five counties, Cuyahoga County, recently declared a public health emergency because of record rates of overdoses. The County lost a staggering 181 citizens in the first four months of 2016, a rate of overdose deaths that if continued, would more than double 2015 numbers for the County.
Mayors across our district report to me the dramatic increase in emergency calls connected to the epidemic. For Northern Ohio, spikes in opioid overdoses are outpacing the ability of local hospitals and rehabilitations facilities to respond effectively. This week's legislative activity is imperative to communities across America. I encourage our colleagues and leadership to work expeditiously to conference the legislation. Send it to the President, with funding, immediately.
People lives and local community stability are waiting for our action.
Tonight, I want to share the stories of three young adults--two named Matt--and one named Tracy. Individuals from our district who have been victimized by the heroin and opioid epidemic.
The first is Matt, who was 29, from Toledo, Ohio. He never thought he would become a drug addict. He never knew anything about drugs, not even wanting to smoke cigarettes as a youth. He had a great upbringing in a good home, with an amazingly loving family. He went to private schools from kindergarten through high school, then to college at a Division 1 university on a full athletic scholarship for baseball after graduating with a 4.0 GPA. So what happened, you ask?
He tore his rotator cuff as a sophomore in college and was given a prescription for 90 Percocet. It only took about a week before he became physically dependent and totally reliant. Percocet became the gateway portal to self-annihilation.
To sum up--his next year, Percocet pills got expensive and he dropped out of college. One day, not being able to find any pills because of the price and lack of availability, he was offered heroin, which was cheaper and stronger. From that day on he was hooked, and injected heroin for 9 years.
Matt transformed into a shell of who he used to be, a shell of who he wanted to be--and who he always imagined to become. He lost everything--and everyone--in his life because of heroin.
After thirteen arrests in four different states, he is now a convicted felon. He overdosed and died, having been kept alive for 5 days by machines in ICU. How could this have happened to such a promising young man? Heroin and opioid abuse sees no boundaries. It is death masquerading as medicine.
In Toledo, there are only sixteen federally funded detox beds for an estimated 10,000 opiate addicts. Another young man also named Matt was one of the lucky ones who was able to secure a detox bed through Ohio's Drug Abuse Response Team, or DART program. Today, it has been almost eight months since he was able to secure the bed, which has changed his course completely.
In detox, along with three friends, all of which remain sober, Matt started Team Recovery, an advocacy group for addicts that makes recovery available and achievable. Team Recovery strives to change the stigma attached to addiction and make people realize addicts are not bad people. They are people who need medical help.
Team Recovery speaks to Ohio students between 6th grade and college- age, about drugs and alcohol, and offers assistance to family members and friends of those who need healing and support. They hope to eventually spread their efforts across the nation.
Today, Matt has turned his life around and reconnected with family and friends. He speaks daily with police, judges, coroners, doctors, treatment providers, police & fire chiefs, all in an effort to collaborate in this fight against opiates. His message is positive and clear. Recovery is possible, and it is beautiful.
Working alongside Matt at Team Recovery is Tracy, 39 years old, who point blank told me that she is a recovering addict. Tracy started smoking marijuana when she was 15, to numb the pain from past sexual abuse, not otherwise knowing how to cope in a healthy way. She moved from Toledo, to Chillicothe, Ohio in 2001, where she met a man who introduced her to opioid pills and cocaine. At age 24, she started using cocaine and it wasn't long before she used it every day.
Eventually, she started to smoke it and even inject.
For 6 years her addiction was so bad she lost everything: jobs, friends, family, everything she owned, even her dignity and morals. She was alone fighting the worst battle of her life.
In 2007, she was caught with possession of cocaine, after reoffending shortly after, she was sent to prison. Rather than give Tracy any chance to seek treatment, she was sent to prison for 5 years.
In prison, she realized there were just as many drugs in prison as on the street. Being there did not help. She needed treatment, not a prison sentence. It is nearly impossible to find a treatment facility because there are so few available.
From the age of 15 until May 4, 2007, Tracy abused drugs. What drove her to sobriety? She was so tired of losing everything, living couch to couch, doing illegal things to get drugs and having her dignity and morals stripped away because she was chasing a high. She was ready for a change, to take back the life she lost during her addiction.
Today, her life has changed dramatically. A week ago, on May 4th, she celebrated 9 years of sobriety. Now, she uses her experience of moving past addiction to help others. She is in college, studying psychology to become a substance abuse counselor. She started a job at a recovery house as a resident advisor and is also an active member of Team Recovery.
The legislative action the House will address this week will provide much needed correction to our justice and health systems--which have not adapted fast enough to this crisis.
I wish to emphasize a few lessons Team Recovery highlighted to me. These are the recommendations of individuals who understand the plight of heroin and opioid addiction better than most:
1. There needs to be more funding for detox beds. They should not be limited to 16 beds per facility.
2. Medicaid should not cap facilities to 16 detox beds.
3. Prevention, education, and awareness are paramount! The innovative approach of Team Recovery's school presentations allows students to better relate, impacting their understanding and behavior.
4. Better monitoring of prescription prescribing and over-prescribing is needed. Creating stricter limitations on prescription counts is highly necessary.
5. Suboxone and Methadone (opioids) are not the solution to an opiate epidemic for everyone, but cannot be ruled out as an option for some.
6. Vivitrol is a key resource and should be utilized more.
7. Recovery is possible but detox and treatment are paramount. Jail without addiction treatment fails those who need help.
8. Opioids impact the way the brain functions. Recovery can take months, if not years, if it is to be effective.
Finally, if anyone listening is facing this terrible monster of addiction, or you know a friend or loved one who is, call 1-800-662- HELP.
That's 1-800-662-4357 for advice and direction.
The life you save may be your own, or that of a relative, friend or loved one.
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