Biden Calls on Congress to Increase Funding for Addiction Prevention and Treatment

In his State of the Union Address on Tuesday night, President Biden called on Congress to increase funding for prevention and treatment of opioid addiction, The Hill reports.

The Washington Post reported that it is notable that Biden mentioned harm reduction, which it called “a divisive concept.” Harm reduction includes increasing access to naloxone, fentanyl test strips and syringe service programs.

Biden said he also intends to “get rid of outdated rules that stop doctors from prescribing treatments. And stop the flow of illicit drugs by working with state and local law enforcement to go after traffickers.”

In a fact sheet released by the White House on Tuesday, the administration stated the president’s fiscal year 2022 budget request includes a total of $23.5 billion for public health approaches to reduce substance use and its consequences.