California is taking significant steps to address the opioid crisis with two key legislative initiatives led by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco). The first, AB 1976, sponsored by the CA Emergency Room Nurses, mandates the inclusion of naloxone (Narcan) in all workplace first aid kits, a measure that passed out of committee with a unanimous bipartisan vote. This action comes in response to the state's alarming overdose deaths, exceeding 11,000 annually. The second, AB 2115, aims to transform California's approach to opioid addiction treatment by liberalizing the state's methadone laws, which are currently among the most restrictive in the country. The bill has garnered support from various quarters, including healthcare professionals and recovery advocates, who emphasize methadone's effectiveness in reducing overdose deaths and aiding recovery. This legislative effort is part of a broader movement to improve access to treatment and recovery resources, as echoed by officials and advocates in Delaware and New Jersey, highlighting the national urgency to tackle the opioid crisis.
We have to make it easier to get onto treatment for addiction than it is to access deadly drugs. https://t.co/e9h0vE8WLM
This is a proven approach that will help save lives. We are proud to endorse Asm. @MattHaneySF’s AB 2115 as part of our #SmartSolutions policy platform. https://t.co/UyIBdcaoju
Today, I held a roundtable on the opioid crisis with NJ Commissioner of Health Dr. Kaitlan Baston & community advocates. Our discussion made one thing clear: we must expand access to methadone - a lifesaving medicine that people rely on to live healthy lives free from addiction. https://t.co/UpbBUjcjSr
I'm heartened to see the number of overdose deaths in Delaware declining, but we still have more work to do to tackle the opioid crisis. We must keep working to improve prevention, treatment, and recovery resources for all Delawareans to avoid more tragic and unnecessary deaths. https://t.co/H24ZufNbbp
This is forward thinking - let’s remove barriers and help people access the medication they need to recover from opioid addiction. https://t.co/GwcXMH7cV6
Expanding access to methadone is the right thing to do. You can't kick Fentanyl cold turkey. It's too strong. Methadone isn't perfect, but it helps you function better and helps people trying recovery to stay off the fent. https://t.co/sJEgmSQwaX
Thank you @MattHaneySF for this much needed bill to reform CA methadone regs. Evidence shows methadone is one of the most effective treatments we have to reduce overdose deaths. It’s long overdue that we update CA laws to lower barriers to access this lifesaving medication 👏 https://t.co/tuXIrXbyUP
"Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) has introduced AB 2115 that will radically change California's strategy on the treatment of opioid addiction by transforming California from a state with the most restrictive methadone laws in the country, into a state leading in… https://t.co/FTzIqE732F
My bill AB 1976 sponsored by the CA Emergency Room Nurses to require naloxone (Narcan) in all workplace first aid kits passed out of committee with a unanimous bipartisan vote. With over a 11,000 overdose deaths each year statewide, we need solutions at the scale of the crisis… https://t.co/TZb1go7cVA