North Carolina groups unhappy with 2023 Appropriations Act lack of solutions to overdose epidemic

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Some groups aren’t happy about the new North Carolina State Budget, believing it’s lacking in important areas.

Groups such as the Community Education Group and the North Carolina Council of Churches say the budget isn’t using opioid settlement funds for proven medications for addiction. They claim the budget invests in abstinence based treatment centers instead. Lee Storrow is the Senior Director of Community Education Group and says treatment is not a one-size fits all answer.

“Every person’s journey to get into recovery is different and it’s important that our opioid settlement funds and state dollars, go to programs that gives folks an array of options when it comes to quitting the use of drugs,” said Storrow.

Data from the CDC shows there were almost 110,000 drug over dose deaths in the U.S. last year,  more than 300 each day.