Iowa law enforcement, legislators call for public health response to opioid abuse

DES MOINES - In a couple of years, Cedar Rapids police officer Al Fear says, opioid abuse will be like cancer - everyone will know someone who has been affected.

'A lot of people don't realize the extent of the problem,” Fear told lawmakers and media at the Capitol Wednesday. 'Just like everyone has their own story about themselves or a family member being affected by cancer, opioids are going to be the same way.”

Already, marijuana abuse among school-age students has been surpassed by opioid abuse, Fear said. Opioids are 'being handed out like candy.”

Fear has been assigned to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Cedar Rapids to help deal with opioid and heroin abuse problems in Eastern Iowa, which he said is on the fringe of a growing opioid problem. The 'eye of the storm” is in Ohio and moving westward.

See Also: The Gazette's series detailing heroin and opioid abuse in Iowa

In Linn County, in 2015 there were 20 heroin-related deaths and 383 hospital admissions for opioid 'events.” In 2016, there were 27 deaths and 874 hospital admissions for opioid dependency.

'Unfortunately, it's only going to get worse,” said Fear, who is spearheading the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative.

Fear called for more funding for detoxification centers and insurance coverage of the costs associated with helping people break their opioid dependency.

He emphasized that a public health response is needed to the problem.

'This is a disease, not a criminal issue,” Fear said. 'These are not bad people trying to be good. They are sick people trying to be well.”

Democratic Reps. Chuck Isenhart of Dubuque and Timi Brown-Powers of Waterloo have introduced House File 115 to create a 'good Samaritan” protection for people who overdose and seek medical help, as well as those who seek emergency help for someone who is overdosing. Thirty-seven states have similar 'harm reduction” laws.

A second bill - House File 108 - would appropriate $200,000 to the Iowa Department of Public Health to supplement federal funds for more recovery community organizations. They are nonprofits led and governed by people recovering from addiction.

l Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com