MA benzo bill- People from any state can help

Anyone from any state can submit testimony of their story or a loved ones or just write in support of the bill. This link contains what the bill is about and how to help. Please share with as many groups and people as possible. Lets make some real change and other states will follow

 

Maya

 

https://www.madinamerica.com/2017/05/bill-h3594-informed-benzodiazepine-use/

 

1. Submit Testimony: Email your or your loved one’s personal story of benzodiazepine harm to Attorney Garrett Burns at garrett.burns@mahouse.gov. Your testimony will be presented as evidence to the Joint Committee as they decide whether or not the bill moves forward. The sooner you can send your personal story the better, since it is unclear when the committee will meet. You do not need to live in Massachusetts to send in your story. You can send your story from anywhere in the U.S. and internationally, there are no restrictions.

 

 

Please include the following information in your email:

 

Full Name

 

Town and State (if you live within the U.S.)

 

Country (if you live outside of the U.S.)

 

Use “Bill H.3594” as the subject line

 

If you are writing from outside of Massachusetts, include how this bill will affect your state/country. For example, if this bill passes in Massachusetts, you are hoping a similar bill will pass in your own state/country.

 

Your testimony should be addressed: Dear Chairs and Members of the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse

 

Keep in mind: the symptoms you were originally prescribed for, what you were prescribed, how long you were on the drug or drugs and the impacts they had on your/your loved one’s life. Finish with how this legislation could have changed your situation.

 

Unless you are a medical or mental specialist, it is not important to focus on things like what benzodiazepines are or how they work: we want to avoid redundancy. Avoid spending time on the theoretical and stick to what has personally happened to you.

 

2. Contact MA Legislators: Tell them you support Bill H.3594 and why. This can be done at any time. State senators can be found here, representatives can be found here. MA residents especially have weight with their local representatives. In the week prior to a hearing, it would be helpful to contact local representatives as there is hope that a letter of support will circulate the State House.

 

Stay Connected

 

Follow Facebook Page: “Massachusetts Bill H.3594: Informed Consent for Benzodiazepines & Z Drugs”

For MA residents only: provide me your email at sonja@benzoinfo.com and local address (which you will also have to submit for testimony) and request to be notified of the hearing via email

Keep an eye out for a possible announcement on MIA

 

 

I sent my story.

I'll be doing this as well.  I live in neighboring CT. 

 

Done!

Geraldine added this statement on social media today. I'm copying from an email exchange she and I had.

 

Important! MA Benzo Bill Request:

With different bills being heard in the Massachusetts State House and dates for hearings unknown at this point., it will be good to have our letters and testimonies prepared in advance. If we can get letters written and sent to Attorney Garrett Burns at garrett.burns@mahouse.gov that would be great.

Please note! This is a Massachusetts bill, and, as much as all the letters coming in from other states and countries are important and show the impact these drugs have had on people nationally and internationally, WE REALLY NEED LETTERS FROM MA RESIDENTS SENT TO MA LEGISLATORS AND PEOPLE FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO TESTIFY AT THE HEARING. If you are a Massachusetts resident, write or call your legislators. If you do not live in MA, but have family and friends in Massachusetts who have seen your suffering, please ask them to write or call their legislators. The more action from Massachusetts people the better!

It will still take all of us to get this done. Please reach out to all that you know in Massachusetts now, and let's get this ball rolling so it can have a ripple effect across the country.

Thank you!

Geraldine

I sent mine in even though I'm from not from Massachusetts. Thank you for all the information you've provided!!

Thank you so much for sending in your testimonies! The hearing was just set for June 19th so they are really needed ASAP. We need more testimonies especially from MA but it is helpful from anywhere. It can be short. Also if you would like to testify in person please email gcburns55@aol.com. I plan to go but if I am too sick my sister will testify for me. It's looking good this year and we will have Drs to testify on our behalf. The bill is in both the house and the senate this year. I am really hoping it will pass and other states will follow!

Maya

 

CD

Miss you! If you can PM or email me

I just wrote mine up and plan on having a friend look it over tomorrow before I send it in. I'd like to go and testify but walking to the mailbox is like climbing Mt. Everest at the moment so that may be too much for me.

 

But I think this is incredibly important. I hope we can reach as many non Mass people as well and get them to e-mail their stories in. The more evidence the harder it will be for them to ignore. I know how powerful the pharma reps are and we have to do all that's in our power to get our stories out there so that the general public FINALLY understands and pays attention to what has been a silent epidemic for too long.

fuzzydunlop (still the best name ever)

 

I PMed you but thank you again! Letters from MA residents harmed are SO helpful. I completely get it. I hope you feel better. I may not go especially bc of the distance, time, stress for me. I hope I can push myself but it is a lot for a difficult taper. My sister, partner, and probably mom are going either way.

 

I hope so too but even more important they need to see MA numbers. I PMed those I know are from MA but I haven't been active here in awhile. Also if you know any MA residents who will write letters of support and contact their senators and reps that would be really helpful. My rep wrote back to say he is watching the bill. I have family, friends, my therapist etc. who are MA residents writing their support. It definitely has been a silent epidemic for too long!

 

MPORTANT UPDATE: (From Geraldine Burns)

The Massachusetts Benzo Bill date for a hearing has now changed to July 25th. We don't have a time or the room yet but as soon as we have it, it will be posted. Letters from around the country and internationally are coming in and are much appreciated. But, this is a Massachusetts Bill. If you know any people in Massachusetts, please contact them and ask them to write in favor of Bill 3594. They do not have to be a victim of these drugs to send a letter. They can just write a quick email in favor of this bill. We now have more time, so please contact as many Massachusetts people as possible.

Anyone wishing to testify on July 25th, your speech must be limited to 3 minutes.

Instructions on how to participate:

Submit Testimony: Email your or your loved one’s personal story of benzodiazepine harm to Attorney Garrett Burns at garrett.burns@mahouse.gov.

Please include the following information in your email:

Full Name

Town and State (if you live within the U.S.)

Country (if you live outside of the U.S.)

Use “Bill H.3594” as the subject line

If you are writing from outside of Massachusetts, include how this bill will affect your state/country. For example, if this bill passes in Massachusetts, you are hoping a similar bill will pass in your own state/country.

Your testimony should be addressed: Dear Chairs and Members of the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Key points to focus on in your testimony:

Focus on the symptoms you were originally prescribed for, what you were prescribed, how long you were on the drug or drugs and the impacts they had on your/your loved one’s life. Finish with how this legislation could have changed your situation.

Unless you are a medical or mental specialist, it is not important to focus on things like what benzodiazepines are or how they work: we want to avoid redundancy. Avoid spending time on the theoretical and stick to what has personally happened to you.

And, if you are just in favor of this bill, just write a quick note as to how this bill makes sense. Informed Consent is important, how it will protect patients from getting harmed by this class of medication with short term usage, or protect those who are already on them long term.