Capitol review: Lawmakers chipped away at opioid epidemic with 6 bills
"State lawmakers made strides toward curbing the opioid epidemic in Colorado, which claims at least one victim every day. In the just-ended session, they passed policies to expand treatment in rural Colorado, to stock an overdose-reversal medication in public places, and to require some jails and prisons to offer withdrawal medication to certain inmates." "Those efforts come as opioid-related deaths held steady in 2018, with heroin and fentanyl overdoses inching up, according
House panel advances bill softening sentences for drug possession
"Colorado lawmakers are moving ahead with drug-possession sentencing reforms as part of a broader effort to curb the opioid epidemic and drive down the state’s prison population." “We know that addiction is a public health issue,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, a Democrat from Denver who is sponsoring the bill. “We need to get people to the right place. And just putting someone in (the Department of Corrections) for simple possession is not doing that.” "The House Judiciary Committe
Denver trying again for possible 1st US drug injection site
"DENVER -- Despite federal opposition, Denver is trying again to become what could be the first U.S. city to open a supervised drug injection site, a strategy that some liberal cities have tried repeatedly to launch to reduce overdose deaths fueled by a nationwide opioid epidemic. The Denver City Council voted 12-1 on Monday to approve a measure that would allow one site to open for at least two years under a pilot program. But there are still several hurdles to clear. The pr
Safe injection sites being reconsidered to help battle opioid epidemic
"Rob Valuck, a drug addiction expert, said there are similar programs in more than 60 cities around the world with evidence that programs like this help reduce spreading diseases. He also said it could improve access to treatment." “It's not that we are sanctioning something that isn’t there,” Valuck said. “It’s already there.” “We simply don't have enough treatment facilities and programs that it's easy to walk in and get treatment,” he added. “In the interim, what do we do?
