2017 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Drugs

John Kasich: Shut down the pill mills; put crooked doctors in jail

We moved the Highway Patrol into more aggressive interdiction to remove illegal drugs. Here's the understanding about Ohio. Why is Ohio at the epicenter of all this? It's location. 600 miles within 60 percent of the country. It's only a day from Mexico and the drug cartels. Believe me. Talk to the patrol. It's only a few hours from Chicago.

John Kasich: StartTalking! Talk to kids to say no to opiates

We created StartTalking! Talk to your kids. Talk to somebody who's not your kid. Just talk about it. 50% less likelihood if somebody would do drugs, opiates, that's how they start. These young kids, they go to a party and somebody says, "hey, they've got a bowl of pills." That's the moment of truth. The answer is "no, I don't want to be cool by taking drugs." That's what we're trying to do with StartTalking!

We spent nearly $1 billion on this issue of drugs. Our work is paying off. A 20 percent reduction in opiate prescriptions. Doctor shopping has fallen by 80%.

John Carney: Impose new protections for the safe prescribing of opioids

Prevention is key. But, we also need an all hands on deck approach to save the lives of those battling opioid and heroin addiction. I will continue the work to increase the availability of residential treatment, recovery homes, and expanded services for outpatient treatment slots. Delaware's Prescription Drug Action Committee has developed a set of recommendations from stakeholders across the spectrum.

Roy Cooper: Eliminate stigma & encourage opioid addicts to get treatment

In my hometown of Nashville, North Carolina, Police Chief Tom Bashore is working to combat this addiction crisis. Last February, Chief Bashore and the Nashville Police Department launched the "Hope Initiative," the first program in North Carolina encouraging opioid addicts to walk into a police station seeking treatment without fear of arrest.

Recognizing that addiction is a disease, Chief Bashore has engaged with the community to eliminate the stigma surrounding opioid addiction and encourage addicts to seek treatment.

My budget directs mental health and law enforcement funding in a multi-pronged approach to combat the substance abuse crisis. This is an area where we must find common ground to help our friends and neighbors gripped by addiction.

Jim Justice: We have to have stiffer laws to fix the drug problem

I would propose today if we do this, and those dollars flow, I would propose immediately building a facility in Charleston, one in the Eastern Panhandle, and I know the veterans are waiting on the dollars to come from the fireworks tax and everything to build their facility in Beckley. And I would like to skim off some of this money to help them be able to get that facility built.

Matt Bevin: Crack down on drug dealers and others who abuse the system

Larry Hogan: Created the Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force

One of my first acts as governor was to create the Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force. We have gone after it from every angle including education, treatment, interdiction, and law enforcement. We have made strides, but this crisis continues to grow out of control all across our country.

We can--and we must--do more to save the lives of Marylanders. We need your help to enact the multi-pronged Heroin Prevention, Treatment, and Enforcement Initiative and to pass the Prescriber Limits Act of 2017 and the Distribution of Opioids Resulting in Death Act.

Brian Sandoval: Rid the state of the scourge of opioid abuse

One of the major achievements of the last legislative session was the passage of the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Act. This legislation increased enrollment in the prescription drug monitoring program from 16% to 81%, and has expanded access to lifesaving overdose-reversal medication.

I convened a statewide prescription drug summit with participation from 500 stakeholders, that included legislators, health care professionals, law enforcement, judges, and victims. Based on their recommendations, I will introduce the Controlled Substance Abuse Prevention Act, which provides more training and reporting and heightened protocols for medical professionals. I look forward to ridding the state of the scourge of opioid abuse.

Brian Sandoval: I opposed legalization, but let's make pot market work well

My budget includes one new source of revenue, a 10% excise tax on all retail sales of recreational marijuana. The proceeds of this tax will be invested exclusively in education. This new tax is in addition to the existing 15% excise tax on wholesale marijuana transactions.

I will also create by executive order the task force on the implementation of Question 2. It will include stakeholders committed to fulfilling the requirements of Question 2, without compromising Nevada's commitment to public safety. Additionally, I will ask regulators to limit the sale of marijuana products and packaging that appeal to children or may be mistaken for candy. Let's work together to make sure Nevada's market for legal marijuana is restricted, responsible, and respected.

Eric Holcomb: Attack epidemic with prevention, treatment & enforcement

But we need to do more, much more. So we're going to attack this problem on all fronts: prevention, treatment and enforcement. We plan to limit the amount of controlled substances, prescriptions and refills, enhance penalties for those who commit pharmacy robberies, and upgrade the Indiana State Police labs to fight the drug epidemic. This is a fight we can and we must win if we're going to take Indiana to the next level.

Rick Snyder: Enforce prescription law, but Good Samaritans get treatment

We are making an investment in Michigan's automated prescription system, which will make a big difference in preventing drug diversion, whether it be prescribers, pharmacies, or at the patient level. MSP has launched an angel program at their Gaylord post. Literally, people can now come to the Gaylord post and ask for help. MSP, the Michigan State Police, will actually help them get treatment. That is the kind of outreach we should have. We are going to expand that program.

Terry McAuliffe: Second chance at citizenship for recovering addicts

I want you to meet one of them tonight. Terry Garrett was born in 1968 and grew up in Northern Virginia. After two decades of substance abuse and frequent incarcerations, she found sobriety and turned her life around. Today, in addition to her role as a loving mother and grandmother, Terry is a respected community leader and a sponsor to recovering addicts and former offenders.

Terry made mistakes. She served her time. She became a productive member of her community. But our policy of disenfranchisement made her a second-class citizen. Until last year.

Chris Christie: Jailing & stigmatizing addiction victims won't help

Well, hoping and praying alone will not make it better. Arresting, jailing and stigmatizing the victims will not make it better. Our neighbors are dying. Our co-workers are dying. Our children are dying. Every day. In numbers we can no longer ignore.

Drug addiction is a disease. It is not a moral failing. It is a disease that can be treated. By treating the disease with the methods we know and treating its victims with understanding and compassion, we have a chance to save lives

Doug Ducey: Drug addiction is an epidemic plaguing our entire country

We've started to address it in a serious way. Cracking down on doc shopping. Providing better treatment options. Limiting first fills on opioids.

We also need to make sure a second chance actually is a second chance. Vivitrol has been called a "Miracle Drug"--blocking heroin and painkiller addictions, even alcoholism, and allowing millions of Americans to gain their lives back. This morning I signed an Executive Order so that people leaving our prison system have the opportunity to be treated with this blocker, to maximize their success of never ever going back. Chances are addiction, in some form, has touched the lives of everyone here today.

Robert Bentley: Fight opioid addiction and fight drug abuse

Over-prescribing painkillers has led to a steady increase in drug-related deaths over the last 15 years. Alabama is the highest painkiller prescribing state in the nation and nonmedical use of pain relievers in Alabama exceeds the national average. This is unacceptable.

That is why in 2016 I joined 45 other Governors in signing the Compact to Fight Opioid Addiction. In 2012 and 2013 the Legislature passed, and I signed into law several bills needed to fight drug abuse and in particular, opioid abuse.

Tom Wolf: Opioid epidemic has stolen the futures of far too many

We armed law enforcement with the tools they need to crack down on those who profit from this crisis by preying on our most vulnerable citizens. And we equipped police and first responders with naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose antidote, allowing them to reverse more than 2,300 opioid overdoses so far. We destroyed more than 100,000 pounds of unused and unwanted prescription drugs before they could fall into the wrong hands, and we redesigned the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program so that medical professionals can monitor patients and identify those who may be at risk. We've taken our campaign against opioids to devoting more than $20 million to expanding treatment options.