Governor, Boston Mayor Call on Legislature To Pass Opiod Legislation

Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Martin J. Walsh sent a joint letter to members of the Massachusetts State Legislature asking for swift action on the Baker-Polito Administration’s recently filed legislation, “An Act Relative to Substance Use Treatment, Education and Prevention.”

“The epidemic of opioid addiction sweeping through our cities and towns shows no mercy and we consider the initiatives in this bill to be significant tools in combating this unprecedented crisis. We need bold action to bend the trend in opioid deaths,” wrote Baker and Walsh.

Both administrations have made progress to combat opioid addiction, including numerous reforms implemented by the Governor’s Opioid Working Group to allocate more than $114 million in spending for substance use prevention, education and treatment, increased bulk purchasing of Narcan in municipalities.

This year, Mayor Walsh announced the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Services, the first-ever municipal-based office to focus on this issue, and he was named Chair of a new national Task Force on Substance Abuse, Prevention and Recovery Services by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Task Force will focus on the impact of substance abuse and addiction on cities and work on effective recovery services strategies and approaches.

“We stand with you and appreciate your dedication to fighting this epidemic. The effort demands aggressive and carefully considered actions,” the letter continues. “While the Baker-Polito Administration and the City of Boston have dedicated significant efforts and resources to fight the opioid epidemic, the critical reforms in this legislation are needed to prevent and treat addiction.”

Filed by Governor Baker on October 15, the bill would provide medical personnel with the power to intervene with patients suffering from addiction, control the spread of addictive prescription opioids and increase education about substance use disorder for providers and in the community.

Click here to read the letter sent by Governor Baker and Mayor Walsh to members of the Massachusetts State Legislature.