Senator Ruben Gallego is calling for urgent action from federal health officials to release money that could save lives in the ongoing drug overdose crisis. He expressed frustration that life-saving resources are being held up while people continue dying.
Rising Deaths
Ruben Gallego pointed to alarming statistics showing that more than 80,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses last year, with Arizona losing approximately 2,500 residents. These numbers have encouraged him to publicly pressure the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to act faster.
"The CDC is sitting on life-saving prevention funds Congress already approved,” Gallego said. “I'm demanding they release it NOW and act with the urgency this crisis demands."
The CDC's Mission
For 30 years, the CDC has worked to prevent overdoses, suicides, and violence. They team up with communities across the country to use programs to save lives.
Getting police and health professionals to work together is an essential aspect of their work. Police and hospitals can better assist individuals who may overdose when they exchange information.
Recent federal data shows some patterns, with overdose deaths dropping significantly in 2024. Preliminary numbers indicate about 80,400 Americans died from overdoses last year, down from roughly 110,000 in 2023, as reported by the CDC.
Deaths from different drugs include:
- Fentanyl deaths: dropped from 76,282 to 48,422
- Meth deaths: fell from 37,096 to 29,456
- Cocaine deaths: down from 30,833 to 22,174
But Help is Needed
Even though fewer people are having drug-related deaths, Gallego says the CDC is moving too slowly. He believes that if they released the prevention money faster, even more lives could be saved.
The senator wants the CDC to stop waiting and start getting help to communities that need it most. With thousands of Americans still dying each year, he says there's no time to waste.
He is pushing hard for the government to act faster on the drug crisis. He thinks Arizona families and communities across America deserve better than delays when lives are on the line.
