EVERETT, WA—Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) today held a roundtable discussion with Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring, law enforcement and health officials on the opioid epidemic in Snohomish County and the Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act – which was signed into law in July.

“Those who suffer from addiction need our help – and as everyone here knows, that help is both urgently and widely needed,” said Larsen. “I have heard from Snohomish County parents, community leaders and law enforcement officials and it is clear that the reforms made by the Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act are a step in the right direction. But there is much more work to do in order to help the thousands of families suffering from the effects of addiction and I will keep fighting in Congress until our communities have the resources they need to fight this epidemic.”

Click HERE for high quality photos from today’s roundtable.

Although it represents less than 10 percent of the state's population, Snohomish County saw nearly 20 percent of Washington's heroin-related deaths between 2011 and 2013.

Last month, Larsen helped pass the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, legislation that makes critical reforms to address the nation’s opioid epidemic. The bill includes reforms Larsen has called for including expanding access to lifesaving opioid overdose reversal drugs and improving pain management and prescription practices. However, the bill does not fulfill President Obama’s $1.1 billion funding request for addressing the opioid epidemic which Larsen pressed for earlier this year.

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