Congressman Leonard Lance (R-7th) welcomed Basking Ridge resident Clodette Sabatelle to his Flemington District Office to commemorate the passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.
FLEMINGTON - Congressman Leonard Lance (R-7th) welcomed Basking Ridge resident Clodette Sabatelle to his Flemington District Office to commemorate the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.
Lance and Sabatelle, a leader in the advocacy group Community in Crisis, and other New Jersey advocates worked for the last year to champion the measure as a way to combat the rampant drug abuse crisis striking New Jersey and the nation, according to a news release.
"This significant legislative package will help make a difference in the lives of those suffering from drug addiction," Lance said before he presented Sabatelle with a framed copy of the legislation. "It will also help empower and equip the loved ones of those in pain, and the advocacy groups like Community in Crisis, who devote themselves in fighting the scourge of this disease.
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"None of this would have been possible without the work of people like Clodette Sabatelle and organizations like Community in Crisis who helped craft and champion the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. This is an important first step in helping many Americans."
Sabatelle praised Lance and the legislation for getting to the root of the drug abuse issue, according to the release.
"Community in Crisis of Bernards Township was extremely happy upon hearing of Congressman Lance's opioid bill," Sabatelle said. "The pills-to-heroin epidemic starts with over-prescription. A key part of solving this crisis must be preventing people from doctor shopping for pain meds and controlling opioids through prescription monitoring programs. We would like to congratulate and thank Congressman Lance for his diligent and hard work towards making this law.
"Our hopes are that this public health crisis of opioid addiction will improve dramatically."
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Studies show that opioid addiction is tied strongly to prescription drug abuse.
In 2012, health care providers wrote 259 million prescriptions to people for opioids. Lance's bill will address that issue by reforming and improving the medical drug approval and label process within the federal Food and Drug Administration.
The bill also requires the agency to work closely with expert advisory committees before making critical product approval and labeling decisions and to make recommendations regarding education programs for prescribers of extended-release and long-acting opioids.
It would also encourage the development and approval of opioids with abuse-deterrent properties. Lance's bill was inserted into Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act along with other pieces of legislation.