Opinion: Ohio 'can't incarcerate our way out of the overdose crisis.' J.D. Vance must help

Avery Martens is the Ohio Director at SURJ, a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial and economic justice.

Ohio has been fighting an uphill battle against the national overdose crisis for decades. More than 37,500 Ohioans have lost their lives to drug overdoses since 2007 – reaching an all-time high of 5,395 in 2021.

All signs show the end-of-year totals for 2022 will be even worse. However, despite the clear alarm bells, our elected leaders have yet to take the bold action needed to confront the state overdose crisis head-on.

Opinion:'I could feel his heartbeat get fainter...' Opioid overdose crisis hit Columbus mom's heart

Now, Sen. J.D. Vance has a crucial opportunity to change that – but only if he commits to putting public health over personal politics.

As someone who grew up in Butler County, the devastating impacts of the overdose crisis – on our families, our communities, and our state – is something I’ve witnessed firsthand.

I’ve seen good, hardworking families, including my own, struggle without the resources they need – left behind by politicians who only exploit our pain for their political gain.

Opinion: It is shameful J.D. Vance spoke at Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast in Columbus

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from these experiences, it’s that no one person or entity is to blame for the overdose crisis – it’s the result of decades of broken drug, healthcare, and criminal justice policies.

For far too long, we’ve had a system that prioritizes punishment over treatment, leading to a culture of prohibition that leads us to use drugs alone and in shame.

Ohio is fortunate to have dedicated organizers on the ground — including groups I work with regularly, like River Valley Organizing, Faith in Public Life, and HEAL Ohio — who are pushing for change through mutual aid and legislative advocacy at the state and local levels. However, we need leadership at the federal level, too.

Portman:OSU deaths example of terrifying rise of counterfeit drugs. National action needed.

We are calling on Vance to back policies and programs that support the health and dignified treatment of us all — no matter where we were born or how much money we have on the day we need help most.

First, Vance needs to invest in policies and programs that implement a public health approach to drug use. That means expanding non-abstinence-based treatment programs, backing public health campaigns to address the stigma surrounding drug use and treatment, and supporting community-based organizations that save lives every day by providing access to naloxone, safe syringes, fentanyl test strips, and other evidence-based tactics to reduce drug overdoses.

Second, Vance must commit to ending the mass criminalization of our communities.

Ohio locks up a higher percentage of its residents than almost any other democracy in the world – with an incarceration rate of 659 per 100,000 people.

Unfortunately, our punitive approach to drug use – more arrests, more prosecutions, and more prisons – remains a driving factor.

Instead of trying to incarcerate our way out of the overdose crisis, Ohioans need comprehensive, evidence-based solutions that protect the life, health, and dignity of people who use drugs.

Vance can lead the way by investing in non-police emergency responses to drug use and passing the BREATHE Act – a visionary bill that would divest our taxpayer dollars from brutal and discriminatory policing to support in a new vision of public safety.

More:Dispatches from the Overdose Crisis: Life enabler

Lastly, Vance must work to strengthen democratic participation by rejecting Donald Trump and the authoritarian-leaning Peter Thiel – whose rings he kissed to get here.

While it’s uncommon for a politician to distance themselves from figures who endorsed them or donated millions of dollars to their campaign, we are calling on Vance to invest in the future of our democracy and listen to the constituents he has a civic duty to represent – even if they live or think differently than he does.

More:Five things to know about Peter Thiel

Ultimately, Vance is faced with a choice. He can work to build a better future of our state and our country, or he can choose to bury his head in the sand and let the overdose crisis continue to devastate our communities.

More:George Floyd dishonored by lack of bipartisan support, action from Biden on police reform

Ohioans deserve better – we hope that Senator Vance would agree. And if he doesn’t, we’re watching and organizing for the life and death needs of our communities.

Avery Martens is the Ohio Director at SURJ, a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial and economic justice.