All of us–people of every race and background–want to see our friends and family members live long, fulfilling lives. Our ability to get well and stay well depends on everyone having what they need to prevent, treat, and recover from illness.
That’s why we’re excited to report that Congress is finally considering the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act–the MAT Act–in committee this week. The MAT Act would make it possible for health care providers to prescribe effective medications to treat opioid use disorder. We’ve been fighting together to make this happen for years, and the moment is finally here. Tell your member of Congress to support the MAT Act at https://peoplesaction.org/support-the-mat-act/.
It’s been a long road getting to this point. A handful of politicians, greedy lobbyists, and the private prison corporations and private insurance companies that fund them have worked hard to hide their role in the 108,000 deaths from preventable overdoses in a single year. But because we are joining together across differences of race and place, this bill is finally moving.
So many of us have been hurt by the failed war on drugs. And whether we are Black, white, or brown, from big cities or small towns, the overdose crisis reminds us that we all feel pain when our loved ones struggle with addiction or get swept up in mass incarceration.
The committee hearing in which Congress will consider the MAT Act takes place this Wednesday. We fought hard for this moment. Let’s make the most of it. Telling Congress to support the MAT Act.
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