Like many in our region, I have personally witnessed the devastation opioid addiction can wreak upon a person, as well as their friends, family and community. This is a nationwide health crisis which needs to be addressed with support for those affected, funding for prevention programs, and long-term solutions. Locally this crisis is exacerbated by the lack of addiction treatment facilities. Those suffering from opioid addiction must travel an hour or more to the closest center, a hardship which can have real life-and-death consequences. For those who do manage to find help, their families then must travel to provide support, possibly daily for weeks on end. Our community deserves these resources to be locally available and accessible. I am disappointed by the response of Sen. Lopez when asked about how to address the opioid crisis in our region this week. Leaving the health of our residents to private companies, land developers, and tax incentives is a dangerous game. Opioid addiction requires both immediate intervention and ongoing treatment. The short-term, detox-focused treatment most prevalent in our area creates nothing but a merry-go-round of admittance which leads to quick relapse, higher costs over time, and further damage for both the patients and their families. For both the health of our residents and to address the financial and social burdens of this disease, we need facilities in our county where addicts can get the support and treatment they need to heal.
I believe that Dave Baker is the right choice for the 6th District, not only when it comes to fighting for accessible and affordable healthcare solutions, but also for responsible land use, funding our infrastructure, and supporting our educators. I appreciate that he makes his positions known and takes the time to address the issues facing our community.
Cheryl Fruchtman
Rehoboth Beach
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to newsroom@capegazette.com. Letters must be signed and include a telephone number and address for verification. Please keep letters to 500 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content and length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days. Letters restating information and opinions already offered by the same author will not be used. Letters must focus on issues of general, local concern, not personalities or specific businesses.
