State Of The State: Christie Uses Speech To Tackle Drug Crisis
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spent most of his time in his annual "state of the state" message addressing one issue: drug addiction.
He admitted to a joint legislative session in Trenton that this was unconventional, but said this would be his primary issue in his last year in office.
Christie wants a number of actions taken to lower the number of drug-related deaths, which totaled 1,600 last year.
"Hoping and praying alone will not make it better," he said. "Arresting, jailing, stigmatizing the victims will not make it better."
Christie's pushing a number of administrative measures to improve access to treatment and curb availability of opioids. The state is also opening a new website and toll-free number to help people access programs available to them. 1-844-REACH-NJ or www.reachnj.org .
Christie called for a new law mandating insurance companies to cover drug treatment for at least six months and to get that done in 30 days.
CBS 3's Cleve Bryan reports Christie will have state authorities take immediate action to limit new prescriptions for pain pills to as little as five-day supplies
"There is nothing more important that I could do in my last 373 days as governor," Christie said. "Let's work to save lives together and let's start today."
Legislators suggest that's doable, but there's a lot Christie failed to talk about.
"We can work on this issue together," Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald said after the speech. "We just need to recognize that the roots of this issue lay in issues of education, access to health care, poverty and job growth."
