BOSTON (December 19, 2024) – RIZE Massachusetts thanks the Legislature for passage of the substance use disorder bill. The legislation provides much needed protections for frontline providers, especially harm reductionists, while also seeking to reduce stigma and improve care and coverage by ensuring that people who use drugs have access to high-quality treatment free from discrimination.
Early CDC data shows an estimated 22.7% decrease in overdose deaths in Massachusetts in the past year. We attribute this decline to the intensive outreach, support and education for individuals with substance use disorder, made possible by Beacon Hill leaders who have dedicated unprecedented resources to this area.
We must always remember that five of our neighbors across Massachusetts are still losing their lives each day to opioid use disorder and these deaths are preventable. We look forward to working with legislative leaders in the next session to push for innovative, evidence-based practices that will save lives and position the Commonwealth as a leader in ending the overdose crisis.