The opioid epidemic is devastating in Maine. In 2018, opioid overdose deaths declined for the first time since the beginning of the decade, but still claimed the lives of 354 of our friends, family, and neighbors. Thousands more remain addicted and need treatment. 

This is a crisis that will have long-lasting impacts and Jared believes we must do everything in our power to fight back against opioid addiction and abuse in Maine and throughout the country. One of his first acts in Congress was to  make combating the opioid crisis a priority. Jared is also a member of the House Opioid Task Force. 

Jared knows that addressing the opioid crisis requires a comprehensive approach, including prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement. State and local agencies are working hard in all of these areas, but they can’t do it alone. The federal government must step up to the plate and tackle the fight against opioid use disorder head-on. 

That’s why Jared’s fighting back against efforts to roll back Medicaid, the largest source of coverage for treatment services to Americans struggling with opioid addiction. He’s also working to expand the resources available to communities deeply affected by the crisis. Jared is a cosponsor of the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, which would make grants to fight substance use disorder and the opioid epidemic available to the Maine communities hardest hit by these drugs.