On September 26, Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) testified before the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery on legislation she filed that would prohibit the use of correctional facilities for men who have been civilly committed under Section 35, a release from her office states.
“Individuals struggling with substance use disorder are not criminals – they are suffering from a disease that must be treated, not punished,” said Friedman. “A jail cell is no place for someone trying to recover from and manage their illness. The passage of this bill is a moral, necessary and commonsense step in the right direction toward ending the criminalization of substance use disorder.”