On Colorado’s High Opioid Misuse, Governor Says State Has ‘More to Do’
A group of U.S. governors have made a joint commitment to curb opioid use across the nation.
During the National Governors Association Summer Meeting this past week Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed a compact with 45 other governors from U.S. territories and states to fight opioid addiction.
“Colorado has made important strides to combat the prescription drug misuse and abuse that affects a significant percentage of Coloradans across the state,” Hickenlooper said in a statement on Thursday.
“We have more to do. I look forward to continuing this work with my fellow governors on a national level.”
The press release sent from the governor’s office on the compact says, “over the last four years, Colorado has worked on coordinated efforts through the Colorado Consortium to Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse to find ways to help communities that are particularly hard hit with drug abuse.”
But drug overdose deaths have been steadily growing across the state since the early 2000s, according to Colorado Health Institute Data.
Colorado Public Radio reported in February that “12 of the (Colorado) counties, most of them rural but also including Denver, have among the highest rate of drug deaths in the country.”
Dr. Larry Wolk, executive director and chief medical officer at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said in a statement prescriptive and illicit opioid abuse are significant public health concerns in Colorado
“The governor’s support of this national compact underscores our Colorado priorities of improving the education about, treatment of and recovery from opioid addiction.”
The compact highlighted:
- Taking steps to reduce inappropriate opioid prescribing,
- Leading efforts to change the nation’s understanding of opioids and addiction,
- Taking actions to ensure a pathway to recovery for individuals with addiction.
“During the 2017 NGA Winter Meeting, NGA will report on specific steps governors have taken to meet the above commitments and build on their existing efforts,” the National Governors Association said.
“These actions may include examining policies in Medicaid and other state health programs, such as corrections and state employee health programs; convening stakeholders; establishing new coalitions; and incorporating the above commitments into the governor’s budget and legislative priorities.”
Hickenlooper isn’t the only Colorado lawmaker looking at how to curb a growing opioid problem in Colorado. Rep. Scott Tipton recently traveled the 3rd Congressional District for roundtables discussing how to combat heroin use.
Tipton is a member of the congressional Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic.
