Central ND News

A bipartisan group of senators, including Senator John Hoeven and others such as Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Shelley Moore Capito, Tammy Baldwin, and Mike Braun, have urged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide veterans with access to non-opioid pain management options to combat addiction risks.

In a joint letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, the senators highlighted the vulnerability of veterans to the opioid addiction crisis, with nearly half of combat-wounded veterans admitting to the misuse of prescription opioids. They emphasized the concerning statistic that drug overdose mortality rates among veterans rose by 53% between 2010 and 2019.

The senators stressed the importance of shielding veterans from unnecessary exposure to prescription opioids and called for the inclusion of non-opioid pain management options within the VA system to mitigate addiction risks proactively.

The letter, co-signed by a diverse group of senators, aims to prioritize the well-being of veterans by advocating for alternative pain management strategies to prevent addiction before it takes hold.

The full text of the letter addressed to the VA Secretary can be accessed for further details and insights into the senators' collective stance on this critical issue.