WASHINGTON (WTRF) – West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito is tackling the growing drug crisis. The number of US overdose deaths has topped 100,000 in one-year, and health officials say COVID-19 is to blame.

Overdoses deaths in the US have been climbing for over two decades. But it’s really taken off in the last two years. New data shows a 30% jump in one year. The numbers are climbing in West Virginia, reaching the highest per capita deaths for overdoses.

Senator Capito believes the spike is tied to the pandemic and the border crisis. She’s taking about fentanyl and other drugs coming in from Mexico.

Meanwhile, Senator Capito isn’t giving up the fight.

“So what can we do here? I think we just have to redouble our efforts. This is not an easily solvable problem, but 100,000… I know I’ve lost good friends, and I’ve had friends who’ve lost their children in this, it’s just an enormous human tragedy.” – SEN. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, (R) WEST VIRGINIA

Senator Capito says they’re leaning on the head of the National Drug Control Policy to help find solutions. She believes medication assisted treatment should be part of the solution.