U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, introduced legislation Tuesday aimed toward aiding addiction recovery centers across his home state.
The Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act, or Life BOAT, suggests placing a one cent fee on each milligram of opioid-based drugs. With the support of several other senators, Sen. Manchin estimates the bill will generate $1.5 billion to $2 billion a year. Funds raised would be allocated to treatment facilities through the Substance Abuse Treatment Block Grant program.
"We've got a full-blown epidemic that's killed 200,000 Americans and we're not doing a thing, so I'm asking my friends who've said they can't vote for any new taxes, so I'm telling you one thing this is not a tax, it's a treatment," Manchin said, according to West Virginia Public Broadcasting.