Contact: Rep. John Nygren (888) 534-0089
Washington, D.C. – Tuesday, State Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) received the “Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service” from the American Medical Association (AMA). Rep. Nygren received the award in recognition of his work sponsoring legislation to fight the growing opioid and heroin epidemic in Wisconsin. Rep. Nygren released the following statement regarding the award:
“I am honored to have been named a recipient of the “Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service” and I thank the American Medical Association for their support of the Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Agenda. Partnering with the medical community has been an integral step in fighting our state’s prescription opioid epidemic, and I appreciate the American Medical Association’s recognition of our efforts in this endeavor.
“Wisconsin’s opioid epidemic is more than a drug problem – it’s a public health crisis. Expanding access to the proper mental health care, increasing the availability of opioid antagonists, and reviewing doctors’ prescribing practices only make up a small piece of the puzzle. This award is a great honor, but I’m most thankful for the increased awareness the HOPE Agenda will benefit from as a result of this distinction.
“There is much more work to be done to fight the prescription opioid epidemic, and I look forward to continuing to spread awareness and enact meaningful reforms to further address drug-related issues in Wisconsin.”