Surgeon general offers advice on fighting opioids

BY RACHEL ROUBEIN - 02/14/18

[The Hill]

The nation’s top doctor offered advice for lawmakers Wednesday on how to help support long-term recovery for people with an addiction, as Congress examines how to curb the opioid epidemic plaguing the country.

Connecting people with support services, such as food and housing, pays off, Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Wednesday at an event hosted by The Hill.

“We’ve got to be more innovative in terms of helping folks understand that providing all these services will increase their chances of success and ultimately lower cost,” Adams said at the event, which was sponsored by Faces and Voices of Recovery and Indivior.

“That’s what I want Congress to know, that’s what I want policymakers to know — we’re not throwing good money after bad; we’re actually getting a return on investment by wrapping people with the support services they need to be successful in recovery.”

More people now die of deaths from prescription painkillers and heroin than from car accidents. The dramatic rise in overdose deaths has sparked a nationwide debate over how to curb drug abuse.

Adams said he would “politely disagree” with those who say the country needs to move away from a law enforcement approach, saying the issue is... [ CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE ]

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[CURATED CONTENT: Written By RACHEL ROUBEIN, Published: February 14, 2018

- originally published on TheHill.com]

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