To: A.

Donald McEachin
From: Jennifer Lam
Date: 3/13/2017
Subject: H.R.993 - Opioid Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2017

In the past recent years, there has been an increasing surge in opioid abuse and addiction
nationwide. Opioid is a commonly use pain relieving medication. But in recent years, opioids
misuse has surged. Opioid isn’t just a common pain medication, it is a controlled substance. Not
only that, but it is a highly addictive medications which is why opioids are strictly regulated.
Since 1999, opioid overdose has more than quadrupled (CDC 2016a). As it be seen, even under
strict regulation opioid abuses are rising. There needs to be a better way to regulate opioid
prescription. For that reason, I support the H.R.993 - Opioid Abuse Prevention and Treatment
Act of 2017 to reduce opioid misuse and abuse.
Opioid prescription are prescribed daily nationwide. As people are being prescribed opioid, the
risk of abuse and addiction increases. It is very difficult to determine whether an individual is
truly in pain. Pain is a subjective data and it is very difficult to confirm. Yes, there are
mechanism in place to detect and track the prescribing and dispensing of prescription drug (CDC
2016b). It is the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). But this is not enough. Even
with this system in place, the opioid epidemic is still continues to rise rapidly. There is a need for
stricter regulation. Opioid Epidemic not only hurt our citizen but it also have some economic
impact as well.
 According to the United States Department of Health and Human Service, in the year
2014 more than 50 billion dollars were spent in health care that were related prescription
opioid abuse (United States Department of Health & Human Services 2016).
 In 2014 alone, 20 billion dollars were spent on opioid poisoning in emergency room and
inpatient facility. (United States Department of Health & Human Services 2016).
 On an average day, 650,000 opioid prescription are dispensed, 3,900 people use opioid
prescriptions for nonmedical reason, and 78 people die from opioid overdoses (United
States Department of Health & Human Services 2016).
Recommendation: My recommendation is to vote for the bill H.R.993 Opioid Abuse Prevention
and Treatment Act of 2017. This bill will provide a better initiative to combat the Opioid
Epidemic. As it can be seen from the statistic, the opioid epidemic has a big financial impact on
our nation. This bill will help bring down the rising opioid epidemic and government spending
on opioid related issue. It will also decrease the number of lives lost to opioid dependency.
Opioid prescription abuse is not only hurting our citizen but our nation. For that reason I support
the H.R. 993 Opioid Abuse Prevent and Treatment Act of 2017 in hopes to end the Opioid
Epidemic.
References
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2016a). Data Overview. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016b). Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
(PDMPs) Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdmp/index.html

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2016). The Opioid Epidemic: By the Numbers.
Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Factsheet-opioids-061516.pdf