POTUS Blames Criminals, Drug Companies, Mexico and China for the Opioid Crisis Tessa Berenson - TIME | |
go to original October 27, 2017 |
Update: How New US Heroin Enforcement Teams Will Combat Fentanyl and Heroin Overdoses (Newsweek)
President Trump blamed hardened criminals, pharmaceutical companies, Mexico and China for the opioid crisis in a White House address Thursday, reaching for the same targets he's long used for other problems.
Speaking in the East Room of the White House, Trump declared the abuse of opioids a public health emergency and outlined steps to fight it, including new efforts to curb prescription abuse, reduce the importation of certain drugs and educate children on the risks.
Trump returned to familiar themes from his speeches on other issues, describing hardened criminals who push drugs on U.S. streets, blaming pharmaceutical companies for over-prescribing pain medications, arguing that a border wall with Mexico would "greatly help with this problem," talking about China's role in the production of fentanyl.
"We must stop the flow of all types of illegal drugs into our communities," he said, in remarks that echoed his thoughts on violent crime in general. "For too long, dangerous criminal cartels have been allowed to infiltrate and spread throughout our nation."
Trump, who has criticized pharmaceutical companies for "out of control" drug pricing in the past, said the FDA will provide more training to doctors who prescribe drugs to prevent abuse and has requested that one drug, Opana ER, no longer be sold.
"We are requiring that a specific opioid, which is truly evil, be taken off the market immediately," he said.
He noted that his Administration is "dedicated to enforcing our immigration laws, enforcing our maritime security and securing our borders" as part of the crackdown on opioids, echoing his remarks on undocumented immigration.
Read the rest at TIME
Related: Trump’s Dubious Claim That a border Wall Will Help with Opioids (MSNBC)
Related: Members of Trump’s Own Opioid Commission Worry He Won’t Make an Impact on the Crisis (Mic)
Related: The Opioid Crisis in America and Mexico (Council on Hemispheric Affairs)
Related: Trump Wants to Prosecute More Drug Offenders to Solve the Opioid Crisis. Here’s Why That Won’t Work. (Mic)
Related: Trevor Noah Is 'Disappointed' by Donald Trump's Handling of the Opioid Epidemic (USA Today)
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