...urge Congress to fund healthcare and treatment. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Friend,

Earlier this month, a coalition of courageous parents—who have either lost children to overdose or are fighting to keep theirs alive—marched into the halls of Congress with a clear message to save lives: invest in health, treatment and overdose prevention now.

For two powerful days, they met face-to-face in offices of more than 25 U.S. Representatives and Senators from across the political spectrum. Wanting to spare other families the grief and pain they experience, through tears and resilience, their demands were clear. Congress and the Trump administration must invest in a health-based response to overdose and addiction—not the same failed drug war strategies that fuel violence in other countries, tear families apart, and worsen the overdose and addiction crisis.

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It was heartbreaking to hear so many parents talk about losing their child, or begging for help and only getting red tape and closed doors. But these parents are turning unimaginable pain into unstoppable purpose, honoring their children by lobbying Congress to ensure no other family has to go through the same experience. These heroic parents are the heart of a growing movement of families who are fighting to save lives by demanding that our elected leaders prioritize health, not punishment: [link removed]

I was proud to join them, alongside DPA Federal Affairs Director Maritza Perez Medina and our allies at Win Without War, and the Washington Office on Latin America. Together, we stood against a dangerous shift in Washington. Right now, funding for health services is at risk of being diverted toward enforcement and military action at the border, under the false pretense of addressing the overdose crisis.

The stakes have never been higher. President Trump and Congress are set to make $1.5 trillion in catastrophic cuts to funding for treatment, naloxone, and other essential health services: [link removed] Just last week, the U.S. House passed a budget bill that would gut lifesaving services that millions of Americans rely on. This includes cutting $715 billion from Medicaid, which is the largest payer of addiction treatment in the U.S. There is no doubt this will result in more overdose deaths, more suffering, and fewer of our loved ones and neighbors getting the help they need to survive.

Americans from all walks of life are deeply concerned about the impact of addiction, overdose, and fentanyl on our loved ones. More and more families agree that investing in health is the only way forward. Don’t let Congress take us backwards: take action to stop cuts to essential services like Medicaid and preserve funding for health and overdose prevention now.

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With determination and hope,
Theshia Naidoo
Managing Director, Foreign Policy Advocacy
Drug Policy Alliance

P.S. Head to our Instagram to see more photos from the Hill days [link removed]

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