Many of the policy debates underway in our region are impacted by the opioid crisis. Having spent nearly 15 years working in community mental health in Oregon and Southwest Washington, I have seen firsthand the heartbreaking toll opioid abuse takes on area families. Lawmakers have a responsibility to advance solutions that will help keep people off the road of addiction and help create a pathway to recovery for those already struggling with substance abuse. The Alternatives to PAIN Act, currently under consideration in Congress, is a crucial measure to address this epidemic.

Opioid addiction affects not only the individual. Parents, children and spouses all share the suffering that accompanies a loved one’s struggle with substance abuse. Time and again, families question how different their lives might be if that first prescription to alleviate pain had been for a safer, non-addictive alternative.

There are a growing number of alternative pain management strategies being developed that not only alleviate physical pain but also prevent the spiral into addiction that so often begins with prescription opioids. The Alternative to PAIN Act would support the development and accessibility of alternatives, offering hope and relief to countless individuals and families.

This legislation represents an investment in the health and safety of our communities, a commitment to reducing the grip of opioid addiction, and a step toward a future where pain management does not come with the risk of devastating addiction. Senator Ron Wyden knows the magnitude of this crisis in Oregon, and I hope he will support this bill.

Elizabeth Cochran, Portland

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