White House to request $1.1 billion to address opioid crisis

The New York Times (2/2, A13, Harris, Subscription Publication) reports that the Obama Administration said Tuesday it would ask Congress to spend an additional $1.1 billion next year to fight the nation’s opioid abuse epidemic. Nearly half of the new funds would be used to expand treatment facilities. The other half “of the money would go to programs intended to prevent prescription drug overdoses, crack down on illegal sales, and improve access to naloxone, a drug that can rescue those who have overdosed.”

McClatchy (2/2, Pugh) reports that most of the proposed funds – $920 million – “would fund cooperative agreements with states to provide more drug-based treatment for people addicted to painkilling opioids such as OxyContin, Percocet, hydrocodone and morphine.” President Obama’s plan “will be part of his 2017 budget proposal, scheduled to be released next Tuesday.”

Reuters (2/2, Rampton) reports that the funding would quadruple the current HHS budget of $127 million for the fight against opioid abuse.

Article from “AMA Morning Rounds,” 2/3/2016

Read more about prescription drug abuse initiatives in Arkansas.