WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 9, 2016) – The Collaborative for Effective Prescription Opioid Policies (CEPOP) today commends President Obama for his proposal to address prescription drug misuse in his Fiscal Year 2017 Budget.  CEPOP also calls for additional action including appointing a leader for this effort, investing in prevention, and increasing access to rescue medications to reverse overdoses and treatment to prevent relapses.  Due to the magnitude of this crisis across the country, the private sector and all levels of government must commit to work together to find additional ways to reduce the opioid abuse epidemic. 

“Most importantly, we need to make sure this is a coordinated and aggressive response like any other public health emergency.  With as many as a dozen federal agencies involved,  we are asking President Obama to appoint a leader of this effort; one who is accountable and whose focus is on this crisis” noted the Honorable Mary Bono, a CEPOP co- founder.

“We welcome President Obama’s proposal.  It would provide essential resources— including critical funds for rescue medications to reverse opioid overdoses and increased access to treatment—for federal, state and local efforts to fight the growing crisis. We hope for swift enactment of the proposal, as the crisis continues to intensify,” said Rich Hamburg, interim President and CEO of the Trust for America’s Health and CEPOP co-founder.

“CADCA also believes that the proposal could be improved by including additional resources for comprehensive, community-based opioid misuse prevention.  CADCA looks forward to working with the President and Congress on the proposal,” said Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman and CEO and CEPOP co-founder.

About CEPOP

The Collaborative for Effective Prescription Opioid Policies (CEPOP) brings together a broad array of stakeholders interested in the appropriate use of opioid medications. Specifically, CEPOP supports a comprehensive and balanced public policy agenda that reduces abuse and promotes treatment options, both for those living with pain and confronting addiction.  CEPOP’s advocacy is focused on driving actions in the public sector that develop and deploy evidence-based solutions to these challenges.

For the link to the press release, click here.