<p>Ohio Senator Rob Portman has called for support for the bipartisan legislation, The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act that aims to &ldquo;help more Americans put their lives back together and help individuals achieve their God-given potential&rdquo;.</p>
<p>Portman emphasizes the need for this bill by citing statistics showing that drug overdoses have now passed car accidents as the number one cause of injury-related deaths in the country, saying &ldquo;on average&hellip;129 Americans die every single day as a result of an overdose.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Many Americans fall into drug addiction after being prescribed a prescription medication. After the addiction is developed, they begin turning to heroin which costs less and is easier to find in many cities across the country.</p>
<p>CARA, as the legislation is often referred to, aims to prevent abuse before it begins by dedicating $80 million to spreading educational resources and giving aid to treatment and recovery programs. It would also increase the number of prescription drug take-back programs and expand monitoring of patients on these drugs.</p>
<p>The Senator believes it is important to note that drug addiction is prevalent in all types of families, neighborhoods, races and cities across America, saying &ldquo;this epidemic does not discriminate.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Portman hopes CARA serves as a reminder to those who are struggling with addiction that they are not alone, and help is on the way.</p>