Nearly half of adults in the United States know someone who has died from a drug overdose.

Opioids such as OxyContin, Vicodin, Fentanyl coupled with additional substances like alcohol and heroin are accountable for claiming the lives of 10,688 Connecticut residents from 2012 to 2022. This staggering number has resulted in an 306% increase.

Representing more than just a statistic, these numbers represent real people in our communities. They represent family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. The lives that opioid and substance use disorders impact don't discriminate. These disorders affect people of all ages, genders, race, and socio-economic backgrounds.

During the January 2025 legislative session, the General Assembly proposed Bill No. HB 476 that would amend the general statutes, and not only declare opioid and substance- use disorders a public health crisis but also establish a commission to make recommendations on how we address such disorders. By officially declaring this a growing public health crisis resources can be coordinated to tackle the challenges that these disorders pose.

This bill is not only a critical step forward but also brings to light this public health crisis that has been left to linger for too long in the shadows. This would signal to the communities and policymakers in Connecticut that this issue demands urgent action. As residents of Connecticut, we have an obligation to our community to confront the opioids and substance-use crisis with the same respect and prompt response as any other public health emergency.

I speak from personal experience when I say how devastating the impacts of opioid and substance-use disorders are on families. When my father lost the battle against heroin and alcohol, it tore apart my own family. His passing left an unimaginable emotional scar that no other family should have to endure.

These disorders create a ripple effect that spreads beyond the individual and family but to communities. By witnessing the struggle substance-use had on my father, especially during those final days of the battle, I realized that the conversation behind how we associate substance, and opioid use needs to be changed.

I am only one of the more than 21 million children in the United States who lived with a parent who misused substances, and more than 2 million lived with a parent who had a substance-use disorder. When we reframe how we view opioid and substance use, we can begin to engage in more evidence-based policies that are approached with compassion.

There is no time to waste. It is critical that we take this step in the right direction before more people in our community lose the battle against opioid and substance abuse. The General Assembly's bill is only the first step and a critical one at that to tackle the crisis. We must do it together.

It will take every one of us to move towards a future where addiction is no longer a crisis, and no other family in our community will need to heal from the devastating impacts these disorders produce.