Spurred by stories of addiction from across the state, lawmakers this
week are voting out of committees a wide-ranging bill aimed at
minimizing the effects of opiate use on the health and safety of
Vermonters.
Powerful painkillers can make patients significantly more comfortable
when they endure an illness or injury. But some of those same drugs
carry a risk of addiction.
David Sheff is a journalist who
chronicled his son Nic’s addiction to methamphetamines in the bestselling book,
Beautiful Boy. Sheff will be in Burlington Thursday evening to talk about new developments in the prevention
and treatment of drug abuse.
One of the leaders of White House drug policy was in Vermont Wednesday. Dr.
Tom McLellan made several stops in the Burlington area, including at
Spectrum Youth and Family
Services.