BY JASON COHEN
New York Attorney General
Letitia James began her
statewide “HealNY” tour of
New York in the Bronx, where
she delivered the fi rst of up to
$1.5 billion to combat the opioid
epidemic.
The funds — which will go
to all 10 regions of the state
— come from different settlements
James has negotiated
following her March 2019 lawsuit
against the various manufacturers
and distributors
responsible for the opioid crisis.
On Oct. 4, the Progressive
James was joined by elected
offi cials from throughout the
fi ve boroughs at Lincoln Hospital
as she announced that
NYC will receive $256 million
for opioid prevention, treatment
and recovery.
“Today, we begin to heal
New York with these funds
that will help turn the tide
on the opioid crisis,” James
said. “As we embark on a tour
across the state, we are ensuring
every region and every
county gets fi nancial help to
recover from the devastation
that opioids have infl icted
on them. While no amount of
money will ever compensate
for the millions of addictions,
the hundreds of thousands of
deaths, or the countless families
torn apart by opioids, this
money will be vital in preventing
future devastation.”
According to James, the
COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t
the only thing that ravaged
the country during 2020. In
fact, drug overdose deaths
rose to an all-time high last
year, with opioids involved in
75% of them.
James said right now someone
is dying from an overdose,
another is trying a pain killer
for the fi rst time and a family
is burying their children
who died from drugs. “That’s
why I made a promise to hold
big pharma accountable and
bring back the funds to our
state,” she said.
The lawsuit fi led in 2019
was, at the time, the nation’s
most extensive lawsuit
against the various manufacturers
and distributors of opioids.
The manufacturers and
distributors were responsible
for heavily marketing opioids
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O 30 CT. 15-21, 2021 BTR
to doctors, hospitals and
health care systems, which led
to the over prescribing of the
drugs across New York State
and the rest of the nation over
the last two decades.
Bronx elected offi cials
praised James for fi ghting
against the drug companies
and trying to help save lives.
Among those who have seen
drugs affect his family fi rsthand
is Bronx Borough President
Ruben Diaz Jr., a Democrat.
Diaz told the story of how
he witnessed a cousin strung
out on drugs one day on 149th
Street who didn’t even recognize
him, and uncles who
were addicted as well.
From crack in the ’80s
to opioids now, drugs have
wreaked havoc on people for
decades. However, Diaz Jr.,
said people that are addicted
to drugs need help, not incarceration.
“We want our family members
to live,” he said. “We love
them. I commend New York
Attorney General James for
New York State Attorney General James presents NYC offi cials with a
check for $256 million to help combat the opioid crisis. Photo Jason Cohen
taking action through her
‘HealNY’ tour and delivering
funds that will play a key role
in fi ghting this scourge facing
our most vulnerable communities.”
Democrat U.S. Rep. Jamaal
Bowman, who represents the
northeast Bronx and part of
Westchester, also witnessed
the impact drugs have on
families. Bowman had family
members who were addicted
to crack and often would steal
things from his home and sell
them to buy drugs. Bowman
also got emotional as he spoke
about 15-year-old Olivia Green
of Yonkers who overdosed earlier
this year on fentanyl.
“On Easter morning of
this year, one of my constituents,
15-year-old Olivia Green,
died due to fentanyl overdose,”
Bowman said. “Every
year this epidemic rages on
and claims thousands of lives
in my district and across the
state — lives that are precious
and which must be saved. The
opioid epidemic is a health crisis,
a mental illness crisis, a
hopelessness crisis. It must
be addressed through health
care and community care solutions
— not incarceration,
punishment, and endless cycles
of cruelty.”
AG announces $256M to NYC
to combat opioid crisis