FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2018
Contact: Katie Vane
802.734.0617
Mayor Weinberger Statement in Support of S. 166, a Bill to Improve Incarcerated Vermonters’ Access to Opioid Treatment in Prison
Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger today released the following statement in support of S. 166, a bill that would vastly improve how those struggling with opioid addictions are assessed and treated in prisons across Vermont:
“The number of Vermonters and Americans dying of opioid overdoses is intolerable. Too often, these deaths come soon after individuals suffering from powerful addictions are released from prison. S.166, a bill which will soon be before the Vermont Senate, will help many Vermonters get into treatment that allows them to rebuild their lives. I strongly support its passage this session in its current form.
“In addition to my personal support, two groups that I serve with, the Vermont Mayor’s Coalition and the Chittenden County Opioid Alliance, also strongly support prompt passage of this bill. I would also like to thank Vermonters for Justice in Criminal Reform’s Executive Director Tom Dalton, who has been a committed partner in this effort to re-envision how Vermont’s prison system can help us address a terrible challenge that has killed hundreds of Vermonters and badly hurt thousands more in just the last several years.”
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