Statement from State Senator Gustavo Rivera on Senator Golden's Comments on the Opioid Crisis

"Senator Golden's comments regarding the opioid epidemic are racist, disturbing, and inaccurate. The life of an individual is not worth more because of their parent's profession and should not be addressed differently because of it. Additionally, the truth is that drugs do not discriminate when it comes to gender, race, or income. Addiction is a public health issue, not a criminal justice one, and should be treated as such across the board. Senator Golden should apologize for his troubling remarks and work in the best interest of all New Yorker's health, not just a select few."