Our Community Members Are Struggling
Substance misuse disorder is a problem for many Alaska families and one we have to tackle to make us all healthier and happier.
Do you want to help people recover?
Alaska has one of the highest rates of substance misuse disorders in the U.S. These include misuse of and addiction to alcohol, heroin and other opioids, methamphetamine, and other natural or synthetic depressants and stimulants, including “designer” drugs, which often defy regulation. There has been a continuing issue of overdoses and deaths across Alaska due to this ongoing crisis, one bolstered by an ongoing fentanyl crisis that has affected communities across the U.S., Alaska included. We have to tackle this issue not just for our communities, but for the countless families that have been and are continuing to be affected.
Legislative policies are needed to address misuse and addiction as medical conditions, not crimes. That means:
- Commiting to harm reduction measures to improve the chance that those who are addicted will live long enough to recover.
- Ensuring that the state Department of Corrections has adequate treatment availability for incarcerated individuals with substance misuse disorders (currently over 70% of the state prison population).
- Investing in rehabilitation to get Alaska families and their struggling family members the resources they need to be able to start the lengthy road to recovery.
Alaska Dems are fighting for solutions that make our communities safer, all while addressing substance misuse disorder and the ways it affects our families and communities. When you look at our efforts compared to those of our Republican colleagues who are more focused on criminalizing and stigmatizing addiction than trying to rehabilitate those who are struggling, it’s clear who is working for Alaskans, and who is working against them.
