Recovery Advocates Support Opioid Crisis Investment; Gov. Whitmer Approves $800 Million For Programs – CBS Detroit
(CBS DETROIT) — More is being done to fight opioid abuse disorder in Michigan.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a package of legislation this month to invest $800 million in opioid treatment, prevention and mental health.
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It’s funds that Amanda Scott from the Detroit Recovery Project says will go a long way.
“Preventing before there had to be legal consequences involved which is also a major costs to the individual and the community,” Scott said.
“By doing some of these things, we are also preventing some of the costs from our community allowing us to have more money to circle back around and focus on those services.”
According to a report conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, heroin use is up by 196% amongst black and brown communities, while prescription opioids saw a 1405 increase.
“This could be someone whose insurance isn’t covering the pain meds that they very much need, and as a result, they’re going to the black market to get their needs met and because these pills are pressed to look exactly like the prescription,” Scott said.
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“You wouldn’t really know that you’re getting something different than what you would get from your pharmacist.”
Whitmer stated in a press release that the legislation will be instrumental in preventing more deaths.
“So, you’re taking a pill and it is either a lot of Fentanyl or they’re not the same,” Scott explained.
“You might have a batch of pills and each pill has a little bit more or a little bit less Fentanyl. So someone else might take a Vicodin from that same batch and be fine, whereas someone else might pass away.”
The Michigan Overdose Data To Action Board shows there were 2,804 overdose deaths in 2021 alone in the state.
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