206. Learning from Rx Opioid Epidemic | Mary Bono

Once upon a time, a long time ago, in 1990, people were dying of prescription opioids. Those were the 'good ol days" when 100 people a day were dying from drugs. Today we are at 300 a day. There is much to learn from history and my conversation with Mary Bono.

The Honorable Mary Bono is a successful businesswoman and well-known political leader, Congresswoman Mary Bono was hailed as the "embodiment of powerful American womanhood" by the Washington Times during her tenure in the United States House of Representatives. Mary was elected to Congress in 1998 to serve California's 44th (later changed to 45th) Congressional District after the untimely death of her husband, entertainer turned Congressman Sonny Bono. She established herself as a respected and closely- watched leader on a wide range of critically important issues while serving 7 terms in Congress (1998-2013). She served on the Energy and Commerce, Armed Services, Judiciary, and Small Business Committees. A proven bipartisan consensus builder, Mary authored legislation that was signed into law by three Presidents: Clinton, GW Bush and Obama. Today, Mary is widely recognized as a national leader on multiple issues, including addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery. While serving in Congress, she co-created the first ever Prescription Drug Abuse Caucus and chaired hearings specific to the opioid abuse epidemic. She continues to be at the forefront of the nationwide fight against drug abuse and the fentanyl epidemic, both of which impact every community in the country. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA). In 2022, Mary received Distinguished Graduate Merit Award from her alma mater, the University of Southern California. She is married to former astronaut and Rear Admiral Steve Oswald (U.S. Navy, Retired) and is mother, a grandmother, and a dog mom.