U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut says a $1.5 billion opioid bill will help prevent outbreaks like the one that caused more than a hundred overdoses in New Haven in August.
Blumenthal spoke on the New Haven Green, the site of most of the 114 overdoses caused by a synthetic marijuana-like drug called K2, which drew national attention.
“New Haven helped to provide the impetus for this measure. It gave me the evidence that was important to advocating for this crackdown.”
Part of the bill instructs the post office to electronically monitor packages to intercept drug shipments.
“The United States Postal Service now has not only the tools, it has the mandate. It must impose this electronic monitoring system so that customs officials can open those packages and stop the imports of fentanyl and K2, such as those that caused the overdoses here.”
The bill also gives cities and states more money for opioid addiction treatment like recovery coaches and sober houses. And it gives emergency workers more money to buy Narcan, a drug that can the reverse the effects of some drug overdoses.
The Senate passed the bill last week. President Trump is expected to sign it into law.
