As part of the historic settlement with opioid manufacturers, Pennsylvania was awarded nearly a billion dollars to help communities impacted by the opioid crisis. The distribution and oversight of these funds are the responsibility of the Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust Board, on which I serve. No amount of money can ever heal the wounds left by the opioid crisis or bring back the lives lost. However, we have a responsibility to use these funds wisely — to fund prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives that can save lives and offer hope.

Recognizing that the opioid epidemic looks different in each community, I wanted to see, firsthand, the realities in some of our most affected areas. Nowhere in our Commonwealth are the ravages of drug addiction more visible than in the Kensington Avenue area in Philadelphia. 

I recently joined State Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) and city leaders on a tour of Kensington. Reading reports, hearing testimony, studying data and seeing videos did not prepare me for the devastation I witnessed; it was heartbreaking. We came across several individuals who appeared to be dead, surrounded by litter. Users in varying states of consciousness appeared to come from all walks of life and a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. The smell of human waste was overwhelming. Needle caps were scattered across the streets. Drug dealers and drug deals were everywhere. Families who endure this daily deserve much better, as do those struggling with addiction. 

My tour was guided by a community leader who has worked these streets for fourteen years. I asked her what she would do. Her response: end the supply of drugs. 

Any economist could predict what happens when you have an abundance of product at a reasonable price, in a place where you can buy the product without hassle or taxes and use it without judgment or interference from the police. Add to that well-intentioned programs to feed and care for users with a laissez-faire approach to the street drug dealers and it has perpetuated an illicit, tax-free billion dollar-a-year industry in Kensington alone. 

My former House colleague, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has made major progress in cleaning up Kensington and it’s important to remember that a crisis 50+ years in the making, won’t be resolved overnight. 

A significant portion of the opioids devastating our communities are manufactured in China or involve chemicals produced there. These substances are shipped to Mexico, where cartels process them into deadly opioids that are then smuggled into the United States through our currently open and porous border. 

We’ve seen evidence of this in my district, as overdoses have increased in Cumberland County and the drugs being seized are “not consistent with locally produced product,” but rather “with what’s produced by cartels in Mexico and smuggled into the United States.” 

Recently, 55 individuals were arrested as part of “Operation Speed Bump,” which will disrupt delivery, at least temporarily. This multi-jurisdictional operation took lethal drugs off our streets and underscores the impact county law enforcement can have on reducing accessibility of such drugs, when committed to doing so. 

Local and county law enforcement can play a pivotal role in helping to disrupt supply chains by enforcing existing laws. Most do and they are our communities’ first line of defense–but they alone cannot stem the tide of foreign-manufactured substances. 

Controlling our borders is key to reducing the supply of drugs that are ravaging our communities. I am optimistic that the incoming administration’s prioritization of border security will have a significant impact and will ultimately save lives. 

We can help pay for treatment and prevention programs, but if the supply of drugs continues to flow freely across our borders, we will fail to protect the next generation of Pennsylvanians. 

I appreciate Sen. Tartaglione’s willingness to show me the horrors of the opioid crisis in Kensington. I’m thankful for her insight and passionate advocacy on behalf of all affected. The crisis may manifest itself differently from town to town, but make no mistake, opioid use is affecting communities across the Commonwealth, and we all have a stake in addressing it. 

We need stronger policies, more substantial enforcement, and a will to combat this crisis from every possible angle. I am committed to working together with federal, state, and local stakeholders to end this tragedy. It will take all of us — we must be relentless. 

Greg Rothman is the Senator from the 34th District representing Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties and an appointed member of the Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust Board.