Idaho State Capitol – On Wednesday, House Health and Welfare printed a joint memorial sponsored by Representative Jake Ellis/(D-Boise). The memorial calls on Idaho’s congressional delegation to “take action necessary to make Suboxone more accessible to Idaho families facing opioid addiction.” Suboxone is a medication that satiates cravings by filling opioid receptors and is effective when part of MAT (medication assisted treatment) for overcoming opioid addiction. The medication is safe and simple to administer, but under current Federal law, physicians must obtain a special waiver to prescribe it.
“Suboxone has fewer side effects than over-the-counter pain relievers, does not induce a high or other impairment, and alleviates withdrawal symptoms that would normally complicate addiction treatment,” Rep. Ellis explained. “We think it’s time to remove the barriers that prevent practitioners from using this tool, especially in our rural areas where drug treatment resources are lacking.”
The memorial includes statistics that highlight the urgency of opioid addiction in Idaho and the nation. Every day in the United States, more than 130 people die from opioid overdose. Ellis, along with bi-partisan co-sponsors and the state’s Office of Drug Policy, is working to pass the memorial asking Idaho’s congressional delegation to bring this solution to Congress.
“We’re eager to make this medication more accessible so people who are struggling to overcome addiction can get their lives back,” says Rep. Ellis. “They have jobs, families, and communities counting on them.”