Haskell Endorses Initiatives Against Opioids, Vaping

WILTON, CT — State Senator Will Haskell (D-26) this week endorsed two healthcare proposals that would directly address the opioid crisis and prevent youth and teen access to vaping products.

Haskell is among 15 state senators to introduce Senate Bill 769, "An Act Concerning the Prevention and Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder."

"By expanding access to substance use disorder treatment services and detoxification, we can increase the number of people receiving much needed help and address an issue that touches nearly every family," Haskell wrote in a release.

The opioid death rate in Connecticut tripled between 2012 to 2017, according to the senator.

Senate Bill 397, which would ban the sale of all flavored vaping products other than tobacco, mint and menthol flavors, was also endorsed by Haskell.

"Vaping products help adult cigarette users turn away from those products, but as tobacco companies increasingly target them toward our youth – using flavored vaping products as a draw – we must be proactive in reducing youth exposure to tobacco products," Haskell wrote.

More than 3 million young people vaped in 2018, including 20 percent of high school students and 5 percent of middle school students, according to Haskell.

Both bills have been referred to the Joint Committee on Public Health.