Adopting common-sense prevention strategies

PROBLEM: When Americans are prescribed powerful opioids, they often don’t know the risks or how to prevent an overdose from becoming fatal.

SOLUTION: Require prescribers to co-prescribe naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote, along with certain opioid prescriptions.

State policy can get this done. Shatterproof is advocating for a bill in New York that would require practitioners to co-prescribe naloxone along with opioids in these high-risk situations: if the patient has a history of substance use disorder, if the opioid dosage is very high, or if the patient is taking both opioids and benzodiazepines or other sedatives. 

PROBLEM: Highly potent substances like fentanyl are contaminating the illegal drug supply, increasing risk of fatal overdose.

SOLUTION: Prevent fentanyl from entering the drug supply.

Shatterproof has advocated for The Fentanyl Sanctions Act (H.R. 2483/ S. 1044) to make trafficking fentanyl to the U.S. more difficult. We’ve also supported the STOP Act, which will upgrade postal service resources and education on fentanyl coming into the country. 

PROBLEM: Even though using substances at a young age is a major risk factor for addiction, federal funding for youth prevention programs has been cut by over 34% in the last 10 years.

SOLUTION: Invest in effective and evidence-based prevention programs for our youth.

Addiction is one of the costliest health care problems in America, and the evidence shows that there’s a strong return on investment for youth prevention programs. A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows that implementing effective, research-backed youth programs actually saves about $18 for every dollar spent.

Our policy team is currently exploring ways to incentivize more youth program funding. We’re also collaborating with our Ambassadors to create toolkits and resources that can help more Americans establish effective prevention programs in their communities.