Would possibly a Trump Administration pivot on the opiod disaster spur Gov. Greg Abbott to vary his place on Texas' Good Samaritan laws,...
Would possibly a Trump Administration pivot on the opiod disaster spur Gov. Greg Abbott to vary his place on Texas' Good Samaritan laws, which he vetoed in 2015? NBC-News reported this morning that:
President Donald Trump is predicted to launch a fee Wednesday to deal with the nation's rising opioid epidemic, based on sources conversant in the planning. Trump will signal an govt order organising the fee, which might be tasked with outlining suggestions and federal sources to sort out the drug habit that kills an estimated 78 folks a day.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will function chairman of the fee on the president's request.
"The opioid initiative is one which's extremely vital to each household in each nook of this nation," Christie stated Wednesday on TODAY from outdoors the White Home.
He stated his state is grappling with an increase within the fee of drug overdose deaths, which have surpassed murders and car accidents. (Ed. be aware: True for Texas, too.)
"What we have to come to grips with is habit is a illness and no life is disposable. We might help folks by giving them applicable therapy," Christie added.
N.b. the "no life is disposable" line. Now distinction that with Gov. Abbott's place on a Good Samaritan legislation in Texas. He vetoed the legislation in 2015, claiming he was fearful about condoning drug use if folks gained immunity time and again. The authors have supplied to vary the invoice to permit the immunity from prosecution for use solely as soon as, however now the Governor has moved the goalposts, insisting that the invoice solely apply to Texans beneath 21 years outdated who've by no means been arrested for something (not convicted, arrested).
So if somebody overdoses and so they do not meet these standards - in the event that they've ever been arrested or in the event that they're 21 or older - to Gov. Abbot their life is "disposable," to make use of Gov. Christie's time period. Or no less than that is the implication of the coverage place Abbott's workplace has taken. Due to their age or their previous dangerous acts, nonetheless minor, these folks apparently need to die.
Overdoses are statistically a better contributor to "American carnage" than violent killers. In Texas, the variety of overdose deaths in 2015 almost doubled the statewide homicide complete. So even when the Good Samaritan invoice had solely a small impression, it might save many lives. Maybe this information of a treatment-centered Trumpian opiod agenda will re-frame the query politically and trigger Governor Abbott to rethink which Texans he considers disposable.
Go here if you'd like to send a message to Gov. Abbott asking him to help Texas' Good Samaritan laws.
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