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Ron Stollings on Drugs
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Addiction is a disease; integrate recovery into primary care
Woody Thrasher's suggestion of applying capital punishment to drug deals that result in fatalities drew a swift rebuke from state Senator Ron Stollings, a Democrat and doctor who is also running for governor. "I just think it's ridiculous," Stolling
said. "We don't have a death penalty in West Virginia. I don't think it would curb a drug deal. These drug dealers are not fazed by punishment or anything like that. A lot of them are addicted also. The definition of addiction means you do crazy stuff.
Everybody wants to criminalize addiction and you can't. You have to treat addiction or substance use disorder as a chronic illness."Stollings and Thrasher each attended a public hearing to roll out a West Virginia Substance Use Response Plan.
Stollings emphasized integrating recovery programs into primary care, as well as strengthening services to support children affected by family drug addiction in the first few years of their lives. He also wants to focus on how settlement money is used.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
, Oct 24, 2019
Establish the Governor's Office of Substance Abuse
Stollings, a medical doctor, said he would establish the Governor's Office of Substance Abuse to focus on the impact of the opioid crisis. "How do we know how much we should receive in settlement dollars if we don't know how much prevention
and treatment programs will cost? This should be an effort coordinated by the Governor, in the Governor's Office," Stollings said in a news release.Stollings said, during an appearance on
MetroNews "Talkline," the state will continue to struggle to move forward until the opioid crisis is brought under control. "I do have potential input to right the ship here in
West Virginia," Stollings said. "I'm uniquely qualified with regard to the substance use disorder and its impact on businesses, the economy and the education system."
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2020 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
, Sep 23, 2019
Establish Governor's Office of Substance Abuse
Dr. Stollings said he would establish the Governor's Office of Substance Abuse to coordinate state efforts to manage the opioid and substance abuse situation. "We must get a handle on the opioid and substance abuse crisis if we are going to move
forward as a state." He says the efforts need to be organized and managed from one location. "How do we know how much we should receive in settlement dollars if we don't know how much prevention and treatment programs will cost?"
Source: 2020 governor campaign website StollingsForWestVirginia.com
, Sep 23, 2019
Page last updated: Dec 16, 2020
