James_Sept-Oct_2025_web - Flipbook - Page 85
The Addiction Epidemic is,
Following the recent hurricanes,
there has been a spike in both mental health and addiction among our
hero farm families.
Our houses of worship, across
all denominations, have struggled to
know how to provide support and
care for believers who have entered
active addiction.
So it is a time for choosing in
Georgia. We can continue to watch
the death rates increase in every
part of Georgia, we can continue
On average, there are 200 overdoses to watch families go into debt in
non-fatal cases trying to get help
a day in the United States
for a loved one or we can expand
on the brilliant bipartisan work that
There are over 900,000 people
has begun and make funding for
across Georgia in recovery from
prevention, treatment and recovery
addiction— 29 million nationwide
programs the top priority in state
government.
There are 49 MILLION Americans in
This past December, House
active addiction— 1.3 million across
of Representatives Speaker Jon
Georgia
Burns, along with the General
Assembly Working Group on
The Addiction Epidemic is imAddiction and Recovery, invited
pacting students from middle school
the Georgia Council for Recovery
through university. The harsh reality
is that both students and teachers are and the American Addiction
Recovery Association to
impacted. Several Georgia schools
convene a public converhave endured fatal overdoses.
sation on the Addiction
The Addiction Epidemic is imEpidemic in Georgia
pacting the Georgia business community— from small, local businesses on the House floor.
Over 200 leaders from
to global companies. No business
across Georgia joined
has been spared. Addiction has
together to discuss
impacted the ability to sustain a
workforce and the ability of business positive policy solutions
leaders to address this medical issue and build relationships.This
unprecedented gesture from
in an appropriate manner.
the speaker united peers in
Perhaps no industry has been
more severely impacted than the ag- recovery, families, clinical
ricultural community. In the best of professionals, law enforcetimes there is tremendous stress on ment, business leaders and
elected officials as Georgia
our hero farmers and their families.
arguably, the most important domestic policy issue facing state government and the Georgia business community. After all, the number one
cause of death in America, including
Georgia, for people ages18 to 45 is
overdose/fentanyl poisoning.
There is no other medical issue
impacting Georgia families and businesses in a more serious manner than
the Addiction Epidemic. Consider:
seeks to break down the stigma
and fight for funding and programs
to save lives, restore families, and
strengthen communities.
In Georgia, in just the past few
years, we’ve been able to:
Empower the Behavioral Health
Reform and Innovation Commission
Expanded funding for Recovery
Community Organizations and
Addiction Recovery Support Centers
Pass the Georgia Recovers license
plate which are now on thousands
of cars
S E PT E M B E R /O C TO BER 2025
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