Arizona Legislature

Senator Gallego Wants CDC to Release Drug Prevention Money Immediately

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.

Ericka Piñon

Ericka Pinon is a state and federal reporter for Cactus Politics. She was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and is fluent in both English and Spanish. She is currently studying Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University.

Recent Posts

Juan Ciscomani Rips Gallego's Congressional Salary Remark

Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) ripped Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) for his remarks on X about…

6 hours ago

Karrin Taylor Robson Welcomes David Schweikert's Gubernatorial Bid

Karrin Taylor Robson issued a statement this week welcoming U.S. Rep. David Schweikert to the…

6 hours ago

Kris Mayes Sues Zillow, Redfin Over Deal That Could Raise Rent Prices

Attorney General Kris Mayes is teaming up with four other states to sue Zillow and…

7 hours ago

Planned Parenthood Arizona Suspends Medicaid Services

Planned Parenthood Arizona announced it will no longer provide services to patients using Medicaid. The…

8 hours ago

88 Proposed Laws Threatened 660K Jobs, Could Have Reshaped Arizona's Economy

Arizona's state legislature chose not to pass 88 bills during the 2025 session that could…

9 hours ago

SNAKEBITE— 10.1.25— AZ Healthcare Changes— Schweikert for Governor— Shutdown Imminent?— Nguyen, Robson, Trump at Quantico, Much More...

AZ Healthcare Changes State Senator Janae Shamp (R-29) and State Representative Julie Willoughby (R-13) are…

11 hours ago