Kuster Applauds Release of Addiction Report by U.S. Surgeon General

(Washington, DC) –Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), the co-founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, released the following statement on the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health released today:

“Today’s report on addiction, issued by the U.S. Surgeon General, is an important step toward improving the response to the opioid epidemic. Here in New Hampshire, we’ve seen first-hand the devastating impact of addiction and know that we cannot simply arrest our way out of this crisis. Addiction is a disease, and it’s long past time we treat it like one. We need to expand access to treatment and recovery services and improve awareness and prevention efforts. As the co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, I’m committed to working with Republicans and Democrats to reduce the stigma associated with addiction and get desperately needed funding to those on the frontlines of the crisis.”

Congresswoman Kuster has been at the forefront of the fight to address the heroin and opioid crisis at the federal level and in New Hampshire, and she has been an outspoken advocate for the need to support medical, law enforcement, treatment, and recovery efforts.

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