Attorney General Josh Stein issued a statement today in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day, observed on August 31.
“I’ve met with too many families who have lost a parent, a child, or a sibling to a drug overdose. There are no words to heal their hurt. But on International Overdose Awareness Day, we know that we must do all we can to make sure that others don’t experience the same grief and devastation of losing someone they love to addiction,” Stein said.
The Attorney General emphasized his ongoing efforts to hold accountable the companies implicated in the opioid crisis. “I’m fighting to hold accountable the companies that helped create and fuel this crisis, and as a result, North Carolina communities are receiving nearly $1.5 billion to help get treatment and recovery resources to the people who need them,” he stated.
Stein also highlighted measures taken against fentanyl trafficking: “I’ve been fighting to keep fentanyl traffickers off our streets. I’ve convened a statewide Fentanyl Task Force with local, state, and federal law enforcement leaders to find effective solutions to tackle the fentanyl crisis.” He noted legislative achievements such as banning money laundering related to drug trafficking and enacting the Stop Counterfeit Pill Act.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us to get drug traffickers out of our communities and help people recover from substance use disorder. But we’re on the right track. More people will be alive tomorrow than otherwise would have been because of all of the hard work North Carolinians are doing to build a healthier tomorrow,” Stein concluded.
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