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Angus King Calls for More Money to Fight Opioid Crisis

Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine says the federal government needs to do more to help states battle the increasing opioid crisis, which shows no signs of letting up.

He says one of the challenges is identifying what prevention strategies work in reducing opioid addiction.

“The states are the laboratories of democracy for sure, but nobody reads anybody else’s lab reports. We are all trying to reinvent the wheel across the country. I think this is a role the federal government can play,” King says.

He says Congress should fund drug prevention programs and then duplicate those that work. He says treatment and law enforcement efforts also need additional funding.

Journalist Mal Leary spearheads Maine Public's news coverage of politics and government and is based at the State House.