WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, joined the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) members on Tuesday to unveil a year-long commitment by television and radio broadcasters from across the country to air public service announcements (PSAs) to educate the public on the opioid crisis and reduce stigma around addiction. Murphy wrote to NAB asking for this PSA campaign.
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“I want to thank NAB for doing something in the face of a public health crisis that works—education works,” said Murphy. “Our state has been ravaged by this epidemic. I believe we won’t be able to fully curb it until Congress approves critical emergency funding, but I’m glad NAB made the commitment to better tell the story about the devastation of this epidemic. Showing PSAs to families across the country will be an important tool to help save lives.”
September is National Recovery Month aimed at increasing awareness of mental and substance use disorders and celebrating those in recovery. Last year, 729 Connecticut residents died as a result of a drug overdose. Nationwide, deaths from opioids increased almost 250% since 2010. Now, more Americans are dying from drug overdoses than from car crashes. Murphy has called on Congress to pass his bipartisan Mental Health Reform Act, which will expand federal resources and improve coordination for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.