As a result of the tragic death of my Brother, Benjamin Kopp (a.k.a. "Leo") whom was a severe alcoholic, yet not an opioid addict, and whom had become severely depressed after the death of his wife from stage 4 cancer only 3 weeks earlier, he ingested a lethal dose of her leftover prescription pain medications; specifically Morphine, I am seeking your support.

Immediately following his wife's death, our family attempted to obtain treatment for his alcoholism by way of filing the required two-party affidavits with Probate Court for an Order to Apprehend which would have him legally transported to an emergency receiving facility for evaluation for involuntary committal to an inpatient treatment center.  Prior to this day, the two-party affidavits had always been sent to the emergency receiving facility as part of the evaluation. However, in my Brother's case, the Probate Judge decided not to send them.  This resulted in my Brother, who presented at three times over the legal limit intoxicated, taking a hit to his liver, on the verge of fainting, experiencing bouts of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, standing six feet six inches tall and weighing only 117 pounds, and showing signs of withdrawal (Delirium Tremens), to be discharged and sent home by taxi only three and a half hours later.  This travesty of injustice on the part of the Probate Judge led to my brother locking himself in his home, continuing to consume alcohol, and eventually. either knowingly or unknowingly, ingesting a lethal dose of his deceased wife's leftover/unused Morphine. 

It is surmised that he may have run out of alcohol, and in his intoxicated state of mind, and perhaps experiencing withdrawal, instead of getting in his vehicle and driving to the nearest liquor store, may have thought that he could take some of his deceased wife's morphine to stave off the withdrawal symptoms. What he may not have realized was that it was an extended release form of Morphine; thus, he may have consumed too much, too soon!

If you watch the news on a regular basis, you know that the opioid epidemic is rampant in the state of Georgia and across our country.  Currently, it is estimated that 180,000 Georgians are abusing prescription pain medications, and many of these will die, if not provided necessary treatment.  Many of them, who become addicted to these medications, and may not be able to obtain anymore through a prescribing physician, will eventually turn to the streets and the dealers for a quick and cheaper substitute, such as heroin.  Many times, these quick and cheaper substitutes are laced with things such as Fentanyl.  Many pills that are stamped as Percocet are being sold on the streets, and they are actually Fentanyl, which is an extremely potent substance. Fentanyl, even in trace amounts, can and will kill!

In 2016, 918 Georgians died from an opioid-related overdose.  That is a rate of 8.8 deaths per 100,000 persons, and the statistics increased for 2017. My Brother was a 2017 statistic!  What is staggering to fathom is, that the leading cause of death in America for persons under the age of 50, is an opioid overdose.  My Brother was 55.  He had a good job and was an upstanding, law-abiding citizen whom deserved better treatment than what he got!  We, his remaining family members, deserved better, because we have to pick up the pieces of a shattered life and try to move forward.  As Ben's youngest sibling and only sister, I will not sit idly by and do nothing to change this!  He was treated like a criminal as opposed to an individual who suffered from a disease.  A disease, just like cancer or heart disease that needed "proper" treatment.  Unfortunately, in today's world, there still remains a stigma when it comes to addictive diseases.  Our emergency departments want to get them in and out as quickly as possible!

Please support me in my efforts to change legislation so that we can make strides in saving lives throughout the state of Georgia.  This is an epidemic, and we must all come together to eradicate it, once and for all!  Today, it is very difficult to find anyone that has not been touched, in one way or another, by this epidemic.  These physicians who are so quick to prescribe these controlled substances must also implement policies within their practices to ensure that these leftover/unused medications are collected and disposed of when the patient either, no longer needs them, or the patient passes away... Stand with me today, and say No More Georgia!

I hope that you will support me on the two points of legislation below.  I am currently in talks with state legislators on these issues:

1.  Making it mandatory that all 159 Georgia county probate courts send the two-party affidavits to the emergency receiving facility as part of the overall evaluation of the patient, and that the patient be placed into a court-mandated treatment plan,

2.  Any and all leftover/unused controlled substances are collected/disposed of from the home by a designated authority once the medications are no longer required by the patient, or the patient has passed away.  There is no instance in which these leftover/unused medications should become the ownership of any remaining family members.