The heroin and opioid epidemic is an issue that is very personal to all of us. I think everyone in our communities knows someone who is struggling or has struggled with this disease. Too many of us know someone who won’t come back from it. My step-father, Tim Lineaweaver, has spent his entire career working in substance abuse and suicide prevention on the Cape and Islands. He started the first sober house on Nantucket and has worked for decades in Falmouth as a therapist.

In the State House I’ve worked hard to advocate for policies that will support individuals struggling with addiction and substance abuse disorder. During this year’s budget debate, we quadrupled funding for addiction treatment and harm reduction programs, but there is still much more work to do.

I filed legislation that would allow municipalities to establish safe consumption sites, H.2088, which are locations where individuals can use previously obtained drugs under medical supervision. These sites have been incredibly successful at preventing opioid-related deaths around the world, and no individual has ever lost their life at a safe consumption site. This legislation is a priority for me and I’m continuing to advocate for it in the legislature.