This is a powerful and heartfelt statement. It clearly shows my passion for addressing drug abuse and the devastating impact it has on families and communities across Alaska.
My Priority As Senator
When elected, one of my top priorities will be addressing drug abuse by expanding access to counseling services and building more drug treatment centers across Alaska. We need the right facilities, staffed with the right people who understand the gravity of addiction and know how to help.
Why This Issue Matters To Me
This issue is personal to me. I have suffered personal losses in my family due to drug abuse from pills, heroin, methamphetamines, and more. It strikes me deeply. I have seen the current facilities in Anchorage and Fairbanks firsthand, and I can tell you: they are inadequate. They need financial support, they need expansion, and they need more resources to meet the growing need.
A National Crisis
This crisis touches families across America and across the world. I believe I read that more than 100,000 people overdosed last year, 2024. Just one is too many.
Commitment To Alaska Communities
As your Senator, I will fight to ensure that communities from Juneau to Nome to Anchorage, including our Alaska Native villages, receive the resources they need. In many villages, we are seeing devastatingly high suicide rates, often linked to substance abuse, especially alcohol. Even in dry villages, alcohol finds its way in.
How Do We Fix This?
By working directly with community leaders, by building programs, by creating facilities, and by giving these communities the financial support they need to take action.
This issue is deeply personal to me, and it will be one of my highest priorities when elected.