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The association led by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is giving the Michigan state $ 10 million to deal with the opioid crisis.
Billionaire philanthropist Bloomberg appeared Thursday with Governor Gretchen Whitmer at the Fire Department of Eastpointe City, near Detroit. Firefighters who were there told them that they were avoiding drug overdose on burned people rather than on burning buildings.
Bloomberg Philanthropies' $ 10 million donation is part of its $ 50 million national initiative, which will fund drug control efforts in 10 states over the next three years.
The charity chose Michigan and Pennsylvania as recipients of the first funding.
"The opioid crisis is a national emergency that requires bold leadership and great ideas. Governor Whitmer is committed to reversing the epidemic and our goal is to support his administration with resources and expertise to save more lives, "Bloomberg said in a statement. "We hope that our work in places like Michigan and Pennsylvania will save more families the grief of losing a loved one because of an opioid addiction or an overdose. And by showing that progress is possible, we can create a model of action that other states and organizations can follow. "
In Michigan, the funds will be used to expand existing efforts, such as the expansion of opioid medications to prisons and prisons, the distribution of naloxone – the overdose recovery drug, also called Narcan – and the accelerated data collection.
Bloomberg said Michigan was chosen to receive funding because of Whitmer's leadership on this issue.
In Michigan, the number of drug overdose deaths has increased by 14%, from 2,335 deaths in 2016 to 2,694 deaths in 2017 – of which opioids are responsible more than 75% of the time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Michigan ranks 14th among drug overdose rates in the country. Pennsylvania has the third highest rate of drug overdose deaths.
"The opioid epidemic is one of the most serious health crises in our lives and we must muster all the forces needed to fight back," Whitmer said in a statement. "The opioid crisis is affecting almost every county in Michigan. These funds will help our state develop a comprehensive plan and implement critical interventions that will have the greatest impact on reducing the number of overdose deaths. "
Bloomberg, who had last run for mayorhood as a freelancer, had already helped former Michigan governor Rick Snyder lead his re-election campaign in 2014 by paying TV commercials and organizing a fundraiser. Bloomberg also took Snyder out of the country on a tour in 2015, fueling speculation that Snyder was being considered as a presidential candidate for 2016.
Bloomberg's political allegiances in Michigan have crossed the corridor. He supported Democrat Gary Peters in his campaign for the US Senate.
Bloomberg – who, at the age of 77, is one of the richest men in the world – announced this month that he would not join a significant number of Democratic presidential candidates in 2020.
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