Tim Ryan introduces bipartisan $800M bill to fight drug, opioid abuse

YOUNGSTOWN — U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan introduced a bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) 2.0 to authorize about $800 million in new funding to fight prescription drug and opioid abuse.

The bill would also increase criminal penalties on manufacturers that don’t report suspicious orders or keep proper diversion protocols in place and provide first-responder training and fund the expansion of specialized courts to treat veterans.

“I understand the damage the opioid epidemic causes in neighborhoods in every ZIP code each and every day,” said Ryan of Howland, D-13th. “In my state of Ohio, fatal drug overdoses have been the leading cause of accidental death since 2007. Heroin and opiate addiction is destroying lives, disrupting families, and destabilizing communities. It is imperative that we work to stem this tide.”