President Donald Trump Declares Opioid Crisis a Public Health Emergency
The President sounded the alarm Thursday morning, issuing a Public Health Emergency Declaration for the opioid crisis, which killed more Americans last year than the entire Vietnam War. The announcement produced mixed reactions among lawmakers and cannabis advocates.
“As Americans, we cannot allow this to continue,” Trump said. “It is time to liberate our communities from the scourge. We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic.” The declaration means the federal government can waive certain regulations and have more say-so over how federal funds are applied, according to The Washington Post.
Last August Gov. Chris Christie’s opioid commission urged the president to act immediately. A public health emergency ranks below a sweeping national emergency, which would have appropriated funding from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, normally reserved for events like hurricanes. Today the Public Health Emergency Fund holds about $57,000, which pales in comparison to national emergency funding, which can reach billions of dollars.
Normally, responding to an opioid crisis would involve people including Office of National Drug Control Policy drug Czar, the Health and Human Services Secretary, and DEA administration, but those are all positions that are all currently vacant.
Some lawmakers didn’t accept Trump’s emergency plan. “America is hemorrhaging lives by the day because of the opioid epidemic, but President Trump offered the country a Band-Aid when we need a tourniquet,” said Sen. Edward J. Markey. “Today’s announcement is nothing more than a dog-and-pony show in an attempt to demonstrate the Trump administration is not ignoring this crisis.”
The cannabis industry quickly responded to the announcement, considering that cannabis advocates have been fighting the opioid crisis for years. “In the fight against opioid addiction, could Trump administration look to cannabis as an ally?” Jody Emery tweeted. Medical cannabis has been linked to lower opioid abuse, less opioid mortalities and is preferred above opiates, according to
