Sen. Murphy: Congress Needs Dramatic Steps to Fight Opioid Crisis

Alarmed by the release of a report that shows that 917 Connecticut residents died last year due to accidental drug intoxications, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said Washington officials, not just state ones, need to do more to fight the drug crisis.

The 917 deaths in 2016 were an increase of 188, or 25 percent, over those killed by drugs a year earlier, according to a new report issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Additionally, Dr. James Gill, the state’s chief medical examiner, said deaths involving the powerful synthetic drug fentanyl, 479, increased by 155 percent over that same period.

Fentanyl deaths nearly matched the number of heroin deaths, 504, in 2016.

Nationally, the Mental Health Reform Act, which includes $1 billion in emergency funding to address the opioid and heroin crisis, and increased investments in cancer treatment and medical research, was signed into law by President Barack Obama in the last weeks of his presidency.

The bill was co-authored by Murphy.

“This is heartbreaking,” said Murphy. “Too many families in Connecticut have been ravaged by the epidemic of addiction. Last year, Congress passed my bipartisan mental health bill with emergency federal funding that’s coming to our state soon, but what we’re doing isn’t enough.

“Congress must take dramatic new steps to increase funding and support so people struggling with addiction can get the help they need,” Murphy said.

By Jack Kramer Correspondent

Official Murphy photo