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For the past 30 years as a part of Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction (PAACA), I have been keenly aware of the devastating toll that addiction takes on individuals, families, and communities. For far too long, we have grappled with the opioid crisis, witnessing the endless grip on lives across the nation. But amid this ongoing crisis, there is a new reason to hope: the promise of non-addictive, non-opioid pain treatments.

Opioid addiction has torn apart communities claiming countless lives. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared opioid overdoses a public emergency in 2017, but since then overdoses rose to a staggering 110,000 in 2022. Thankfully, health care researchers have been working on non-opioid, non-addictive pain treatments, and have seen meaningful success over the past year. Now we are waiting on approval from federal regulators, which should come later this year. Chances are you may not have heard about these new alternatives, and that needs to change. That is why I’m calling on the members of the Massachusetts Legislature to move forward with H1962.

Many people first introduced to opioids when prescribed for pain management purposes after an injury or surgery, sadly for some this leads to a dependency that is difficult to stop. Pain management is especially difficult for people in recovery from addiction. That is why we are working to get patients more information about non-opioid alternatives at their doctor’s offices. H1962 will direct the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to provide information about non-opioid pain treatments and have medical professionals share this information with patients before offering opioid painkillers. Making patients aware of their choices can stop a tragedy in its tracks.

I am pleased that the U.S. Congress has introduced bipartisan legislation called the Alternatives to PAIN act, which in addition to an education component, would ensure that the new non-addictive, non-opioid treatments are added to the Medicare formulary and affordable for low-income seniors. 

Substance abuse disorder does not discriminate — people of all races, ages, and incomes can be affected. We have a chance now to help curb the cycle of substance abuse by raising awareness about new alternatives for pain management. I hope that the Massachusetts Legislature strongly considers the good that H1962 can bring to our communities.

Carl Alves is CEO of Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, a nonprofit, consumer-driven, grassroots organization dedicated to substance use prevention, treatment pathways and recovery support services.