LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – Congressman French Hill met with people across Arkansas Monday to talk about how to solve the opioid addiction epidemic.
He spoke with teachers, mothers and nurses who have come too close to crisis. He said both the state and federal governments are working to solve the problem.
"When you lose 65,000 in 2016 and 45,000 people in 2017 because of drug overdoses…that's two Vietnam wars of American losses. It's a big issue,” Hill said.
With the crisis having a growing impact in Arkansas, Hill is looking into how our state is handling this problem.
"We heard from a school nurse today. We had a conversation about her inability to help kids because of HIPPA,” he said. “Does a school nurse who sends a child to the ER with an overdose on school property, doesn’t she deserve some continuity of care for the student that’s going to right back there on campus?”
Hill said Arkansas is doing a good job of offering proper resources for people who are addicted, but he said there is still more work that needs to be done.
“I like the governor's approach of interdicting young offenders and getting them into a diversion program instead of straight into incarceration,” he said.
Hill also said the opioid crisis is a hot topic is Washington D.C.
"The House of Representatives last week and this week are passing 57 bills that deal with this,” he said.
Suzanna McCarty lost her son to drug addiction in March and she said there needs to be more education about the opioid epidemic.
"When I share my son has died of an overdose so many people have said they've heard so many more just in the last few months. We need to share information on how to combat the problem. Solutions to come up with,” McCarty said.
Hill said he is working with other politicians in DC to figure out how to stop the transportation of fentanyl, which comes mostly from Canada and Mexico.
He said fentanyl is one of the biggest issues the opioid addiction epidemic faces.