Lawmakers missed the deadline to renew a law supporting treatment and recovery.

America’s drug overdose crisis is out of control. Washington, despite a bipartisan desire to combat it, is finding its addiction-fighting programs are failing.

In 2018, Republicans, Democrats and then-President Donald Trump united around legislation that threw $20 billion into treatment, prevention and recovery. But five years later, the SUPPORT Act has lapsed and the number of Americans dying from overdoses has grown more than 60 percent, driven by illicit fentanyl. The battle has turned into a slog.

Even though 105,000 Americans died last year, Congress is showing little urgency about reupping the law since it expired on Sept. 30. That’s not because of partisan division, but a realization that there are no quick fixes a new law could bring to bear.

    • Cethin@lemmy.zipEnglish
      11·
      1 year ago

      People using the drugs isn’t really the issue that needs solving. It’s people dying and being harmed by them. Narcan is good, not bad. Make it free and easily available and save tax payer’s lives. Total cost: negative.

      • oldbaldgrumpy@lemmy.world
        13·
        1 year ago

        Yeah because everyone knows most junkies pay taxes… Narcan will never be made free, all that means is someone else, like the actual tax payers, are paying for it. The world would be a better place without Narcan.

          • oldbaldgrumpy@lemmy.world
            12·
            1 year ago

            If Narcan can save them they may not be homeless yet, but it will happen soon. For the sake of argument let’s say 50% are without jobs. The problem is still half way fixed, or twice as good as it is now.

            • Cethin@lemmy.zipEnglish
              1·
              1 year ago

              Why would we assume that? Hell, about half of homeless people are still employed.

              Regarless, the cost would be very low compared to all the other costs we pay for. It may even save money with fewer unpaid ER visits and things like that, totally ignoring saving taxable incomes.

              I know you’re probably just some edgy teenager who things denigrating a group of people who you don’t know anything about is cool or funny, but it’s really fucked up. Have some empathy for your fellow man. We’ve all got shit going on, and it can all be improved on if we help each other.