Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
Like many people in East Tennessee, my family has been deeply impacted by the opioid crisis. I saw first-hand how the cycle of addiction can hold a multi-generational grip on a family, and how hard it is to end it. That’s why, when I was crowned Miss Tennessee, I vowed that I would use the great opportunity afforded to me to fight the opioid epidemic through a message of hope.
During the past year, I advocated for change and met with hundreds of elementary and middle school students across the state. I saw that people across Tennessee, from students to teachers to law enforcement officials to doctors and patient care providers and elected officials are all working to combat the devastating spread of opioids. Yet it takes all of us to pitch in and fight this massive epidemic, from the most local position to the highest office. And frankly, Congress simply isn’t doing enough.
Almost a year ago, it was revealed that a key piece of legislation, signed into law two years prior, had essentially stripped the Drug Enforcement Agency of its ability to freeze shipments of prescription narcotics, letting hundreds of thousands of pills to flood into Tennessee homes. At the time, politicians in Washington said the law had “unintended consequences,” but in the year since this revelation, absolutely nothing has been done to restore the DEA to its full capability to fight the opioid epidemic.
Who we elect to represent us, whether at the county, city, state, or federal level, matters immensely when it comes to solving the opioid crisis. We need people to work together to get things done for Tennessee.
Fortunately, Phil Bredesen, former Governor of Tennessee and former Mayor of Nashville, is applying for the job. Governor Bredesen has made a point to spend his campaign listening to the stories of Tennesseans across the state who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic – including mine. He knows that we all need to work together to solve this crisis, and he has vowed that his very first act in the Senate will be to undo this harmful bill and give law enforcement back the power to fight the tide of opioids that continue to flood our communities.
Substance abuse is a disease that can devastate families, harm local economies, and prevent communities from reaching their full potential. I know I can trust Governor Bredesen to be on the side of Tennessee’s families and communities when it comes to fighting the spread of opioid addiction, and that’s why I’m voting for Phil Bredesen for U.S. Senate.
Caty Davis is an East Tennessee native and a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. The views expressed in this article are Caty’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the Miss Tennessee or Miss America Organizations.
