Lawmakers are looking to tackle opioid substance abuse issues through several bills.
The state has already received about $19 million from settlements with opioid distributors and manufacturers to address substance abuse, but most of that money has not been spent.
State Rep. Della Au Bellati’s bill would set up a fund and staff to administer the settlement money, including more than $100 million expected over time.
“There are provisions and we'll have this conversation about how quickly we can turn over the monies. But the other important thing is that we have to make sure that we comply with the requirements of the settlement agreements,” she said.
“We have to make sure that it's going into prevention, abatement, all of these things that are required by the states and the parties that settled. You know, we also want to look at how we're going to make this stainable. It’s not about just funding for one year.”
About $16 million has yet to be spent although the Department of Health Opioid Settlement Coordinator Grant Giventor said on Friday that there are several pending executions of agreements in place.
Rep. Adrian Tam has also introduced a bill to require law enforcement officers to carry naloxone – better known as NARCAN, a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
“I have heard way too many stories of individuals who have lost loved ones to fentanyl and substance abuse,” Tam said.
“It’s time we stop treating those who are suffering from substance abuse like criminals, and start treating them like victims to get them the help they need so they can heal.”
Honolulu bars and clubs have already been required to carry the drug since January.
According to the Hawaiʻi Island Taskforce, someone in the state dies every 28 hours from a drug overdose.
Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center Executive Director Heather Lusk emphasized the need for more legislation to address opioid usage.
“We desperately need treatment. We need treatment on demand, we need detox, we need support to save lives with more naloxone and the resources with the opioid litigation and settlement fund will help us do that. We also need our law enforcement partners,” she said.
“We can really address, again, not just opioid use disorder, but our entire substance use continuum with these funds to ensure that not only is there no suffering, but that more people survive to be able to get to the road to recovery.”
Both measures were heard in the Health and Homelessness Committee on Friday but were deferred for decision-making to Wednesday.
