Fighting the Opioid Crisis
In Crisis?
An opioid overdose requires immediate medical attention. Please call 911 immediately if you or someone you know is in immediate danger.
If you are someone you know is experiencing a suicidal, substance use and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, help is available 24/7 at the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call, text or chat 988 to speak with a trained crisis counselor.
In Need of Treatment?
Additionally, if you or someone you know is in need of substance use disorder support services, I encourage you to reach out to the resources below.
Call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National treatment referral and information line: 1-800-662-4357.
Find a treatment center near you: https://findtreatment.gov/
FIGHTING THE OPIOID CRISIS
The opioid crisis has torn families and communities apart across Minnesota. In 2022 over 1,000 Minnesotans died as a result of an opioid-involved overdose. Opioid overdoses account for 62% of all overdose deaths in Minnesota. As your Member of Congress, I am working with members of both parties to stop the flow of illicit drugs into our country, deliver tools to law enforcement and community leaders on the ground and invest in recovery resources for folks battling addiction. I’m also working with local leaders, law enforcement and health experts on my Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Advisory Council to identify solutions and combat the opioid crisis in our community. There are no easy answers here, but I am working every day to find bipartisan solutions that save lives.
Here’s what I’ve been working on in Congress:
- I wrote and introduced the bipartisan, Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act, to hold social media companies accountable for drug sales on their platform, and require they alert law enforcement of any sale of illicit drugs. This bill is named after Hastings, MN teen Devin Norring, who died after buying a pill he thought would treat his migraines on Snapchat that was pure fentanyl. The goal of this bill is to aid law enforcement in their efforts to end the opioid epidemic and save lives.
- In March 2024, my bipartisan END FENTANYL Act was signed into law to help prevent the flow of illicit fentanyl from crossing the border. This bill requires Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to update its manuals at least every three years in order to identify new ways to prevent drug and human smuggling through ports of entry.
- I introduced and passed the bipartisan RECONNECTIONS Actwhich would expand the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) overdose prevention efforts – like promoting prescription drug monitoring programs, evaluating community and health system interventions and conducting research on controlled substance overdoses. It passed the House of Representatives last year, and I’m working with my colleagues across the aisle to make it law.
- In 2023, I led a group of 28 Democrats and Republicans advocating for over-the-counter sales of Narcan – the drug used to reverse opioid overdoses. The FDA listened, and now Narcan is available without a prescription.
- I wrote a bipartisan bill to give doctors and parents the tools they need to keep kids at risk of overdose or suicide safe at home. My Kid PROOF Act would make it easier for parents to safely store “lethal means” - like prescription drugs or a knife – away from at-risk children in the home.
- I called upon my fellow Members of Congress to focus on ending the fentanyl crisis and not on needless partisanship. This is a serious issue and I will continue to work with whoever has a good idea to end this epidemic to get things done.
To learn more about the opioid crisis and the resources and treatment options available visit these national and state-level websites.
National Resources:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS is a department within the executive branch of the U.S. federal government. Their website provides more information on the opioid crisis and a list of resources specific to prevention, treatment, and recovery.
Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
HRSA
equitable health care to high-need communities. Their website provides a list of ways that they are helping stop the opioid crisis, and more information about treatment for opioid use disorder.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavior health of the nation. SAMHSA's National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357) is a free and confidential treatment referral and information service and is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
State-level Resources:
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
MDH provides Minnesota-specific information on:
- The opioid crisis
- Work to prevent opioid overdoses
- Resources to help combat the epidemic
- Substance use disorder resources for individuals who are or know someone struggling
Provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and other state agencies, Know the Dangers provides information on the facts, risks, signs, resources, and stories of the opioid crisis.
Dose of Reality works to prevent prescription painkiller abuse through providing materials such as safe storage, appropriate use, and dangers of abusing. They also provide specific support for groups most likely to come in contact with the issue such as healthcare professionals and young athletes.