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Jenna Mellor

Public health & civil rights leaders condemn Senate passage of fentanyl penalty upgrade bill (S-3325)

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Earlier today, the New Jersey State Senate approved a bill upgrading fentanyl penalties (S-3325) by a vote of 32-0. This week, the Star-Ledger editorial board also opposed the bill, calling it “a return to the failed drug war.” Lawmakers previously received an open letter from 40+ public health, harm reduction, civil rights organizations warning that … Read more

40+ Public Health, Recovery, & Civil Rights Orgs Oppose New Harsh Fentanyl Penalties (S-3325)

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On Wednesday, public health, recovery, and racial justice organizations sent a letter to the Senate Budget Committee, along with legislative leadership and Governor Murphy, urging them to oppose Senate Bill 3325, which proposes harsh new penalties for fentanyl. The bill will be heard by the Senate Budget Committee at its hearing today at 1pm.“The increased … Read more

NJHRC applauds over-the-counter naloxone decision, calls for more affordable options

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Yesterday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first ever over-the-counter form of naloxone. This approval applies only to the 4mg nasal spray manufactured by Emergent Biosolutions, which is significantly more expensive than other more affordable versions. including intramuscular naloxone. In response, New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition (NJHRC) released the following statement. Jenna … Read more

NJHRC: Gov. Murphy’s Opioid Announcement Shows Urgency of Harm Reduction Expansion

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Earlier today, Governor Murphy announced 3,040 overdose deaths in 2020 and, strikingly, 540 deaths in January-February of 2021, along with his opioid policy proposals for 2021. The proposed policies make critical commitments to increasing the state budget for harm reduction programs by $1 million, expanding naloxone (brand name Narcan) access, and bolstering availability of medication … Read more