IGNORING THE REPEATED WARNINGS OF TOP ADVISORS, PRESIDENT OBAMA FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE DEADLIEST DRUG EPIDEMIC TO EVER HIT THE U.S.
Under The Obama Administration, National Healthcare Experts Pled With President Obama To Declare Fentanyl A National Emergency, A Failure That Was "One In A Series Of Missed Opportunities"
In May 2016, A Group Of National Health Experts Issued An "Urgent Plea" To High-Level Officials In The Obama Administration Over The Thousands Of Deaths Due To Overdoses Of Fentanyl, The "Deadliest Drug To Ever Hit U . S . Streets." "In May 2016, a group of national health experts issued an urgent plea in a private letter to high-level officials in the Obama administration. Thousands of people were dying from overdoses of fentanyl - the deadliest drug to ever hit U.S. streets - and the administration needed to take immediate action. The epidemic had been escalating for three years." (Scott Higham, Sari Horwitz and Katie Zezlma, "The Fentanyl Failure," The Washington Post , 3/13/19)
These 11 Healthcare Experts "Pressed" Obama Officials To Declare Fentanyl A "National Public Health Emergency," A Declaration That Would Put A "Laserlike Focus On Combating The Emerging Epidemic." "The 11 experts pressed the officials to declare fentanyl a national 'public health emergency' that would put a laserlike focus on combating the emerging epidemic and warn the country about the threat, according to a copy of the letter." (Scott Higham, Sari Horwitz and Katie Zezlma, "The Fentanyl Failure," The Washington Post , 3/13/19)
- In Their Declaration They Claimed The Fentanyl Crisis "Represents An Extraordinary Public Health Challenge - And Requires An Extraordinary Public Health Response." "The fentanyl crisis represents an extraordinary public health challenge - and requires an extraordinary public health response,' the experts wrote to six administration officials, including the nation's 'drug czar' and the chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention." (Scott Higham, Sari Horwitz and Katie Zezlma, "The Fentanyl Failure," The Washington Post , 3/13/19)
The "Administration Considered The Request But Did Not Act On It." "The administration considered the request but did not act on it." (Scott Higham, Sari Horwitz and Katie Zezlma, "The Fentanyl Failure," The Washington Post , 3/13/19)
- The Decision Not To Act Was "One In A Series Of Missed Opportunities, Oversights And Half-Measures By Federal Officials." "The decision was one in a series of missed opportunities, oversights and half-measures by federal officials who failed to grasp how quickly fentanyl was creating another - and far more fatal - wave of the opioid epidemic." (Scott Higham, Sari Horwitz and Katie Zezlma, "The Fentanyl Failure," The Washington Post , 3/13/19)
- "Many Leading Voices In The Field Feel An Emergency Declaration Could Have Saved Lives By Shining A Bright Spotlight That Would Have Galvanized The Administration." "But many leading voices in the field feel an emergency declaration could have saved lives by shining a bright spotlight that would have galvanized the administration, awakened the public and warned users of the danger they faced." (Scott Higham, Sari Horwitz and Katie Zezlma, "The Fentanyl Failure," The Washington Post , 3/13/19)
An Analysis Conducted On Mortality Rates From 2010 Through 2016 Found That More Than 42,000 People Had Died Of Opioid Related Overdoses, With Nearly Half Of Those Deaths Related To Fentanyl Overdoses
In An Analysis Of Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths, It Was Founds That Synthetic Opioids Related To Fentanyl Have "Surpassed Prescription Opioids As The Most Common Drug Involved In Overdose Deaths In The U.S." "An analysis of opioid-related overdose deaths found that synthetic opioids, such as illicit fentanyl, have surpassed prescription opioids as the most common drug involved in overdose deaths in the U.S." (Press Release, "Nearly Half Of Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths Involve Fentanyl," National Institute Of Health , 5/1/18)
- The Report Analyzed Data From 2010 Through 2016 And Found That Among The 42,249 Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths Nearly Half Were Involved With Fentanyl. "The report analyzed 2010-2016 mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System which includes information on all deaths in the U.S., based on death certificates submitted by medical examiners and coroners. Results showed that among the 42,249 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2016, 19,413 (45.9%) involved fentanyl; 17,087 (40.4%) involved prescription opioids; and 15,469 (36.6%) involved heroin.*" (Press Release, "Nearly Half Of Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths Involve Fentanyl," National Institute Of Health , 5/1/18)
John P. Walters, Chief Of The White House Office Of National Drug Control Policy Between 2001 And 2009, Called The Crisis A "Massive Institutional Failure" And Claimed That The Administration Did Not Know "How To Intervene Or How To Save Lives." "'This is a massive institutional failure, and I don't think people have come to grips with it,' said John P. Walters, chief of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy between 2001 and 2009. 'This is like an absurd bad dream and we don't know how to intervene or how to save lives.'" (Scott Higham, Sari Horwitz and Katie Zezlma, "The Fentanyl Failure," The Washington Post , 3/13/19)
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS TAKEN CONCRETE STEPS TO CURB THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC PLAGUING AMERICA
President Trump Has Made The Opioid Crisis His Number One Priority, Signing Into Law Bills That Provide Billions To Fight The Opioid Epidemic
In October 2016, Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Claimed He Would Help "Stop The Drugs From Pouring In" And Pledged To Help Those Addicted "Get The Assistance They Need." DONALD TRUMP: "I am now doubling-down on that promise, and can guarantee you - we will not only stop the drugs from pouring in, but we will help all of those people so seriously addicted get the assistance they need to unchain themselves." (Donald Trump, Remarks At Campaign Rally , Portsmouth, NH, 10/15/16)
In October 2017, President Trump Declared The Opioid Crisis A "National Public Health Emergency" Which Allowed Each Agency To Use The Appropriate Emergency Authority To "Fight The Opioid Crisis." PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: "That is why, effective today, my administration is officially declaring the opioid crisis a national public health emergency under federal law, and why I am directing all executive agencies to use every appropriate emergency authority to fight the opioid crisis. This marks a critical step in confronting the extraordinary challenge that we face." (President Trump, Remarks On Combatting Drug Demand And The Opioid Crisis , Washington D.C., 10/26/17)
- The Designation Of A Public Health Crisis Would Allow Grant Money To Be Used To Combat Opioid Abuse, Permit The Hiring Of Specialists "To Tackle The Crisis" And "Expand The Use Of Telemedicine Services In Rural Areas." "The designation of a public health crisis, formally made by Eric D. Hargan, the acting health secretary, would allow for some grant money to be used to combat opioid abuse, permit the hiring of specialists to tackle the crisis, and expand the use of telemedicine services to treat people in rural areas ravaged by opioid use, where doctors are often in short supply." (Julie Hirschfeld Davis, "Trump Declares Opioid Crisis A 'Health Emergency' But Requests No Funds," The New York Times , 10/26/17)
In January 2018, President Trump Claimed That The United States "Must Get Much Tougher On Drug Dealers And Pushers" To Defeat The Opioid Crisis And That His Administration Was "Committed To Fighting The Drug Epidemic And Helping Get Treatment For Those In Need." "'We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge,' Trump said. 'My administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need, for those who have been so terribly hurt. The struggle will be long, and it will be difficult. But as Americans always do, in the end, we will succeed. We will prevail.'" (Susan Caminiti, "Trump Talks Tough In State Of The Union To End Opioid Crisis, But High Schools Get Tougher," CNBC , 1/30/18)
In November 2017, President Trump Donated His Third-Quarter Salary To The Opioid Epidemic Efforts. "President Donald Trump has donated his third-quarter presidential salary to the Department of Health and Human Services' efforts to combat the opioid crisis, the department and the White House announced Thursday." (Cristiano Lima, "Trump Donates Third-Quarter Salary To HHS Opioid Efforts," Politico , 11/30/17)
- That Amounted To Nearly $100,000 To Help The Department Of Health And Human Services Fight Opioids. "In November, President Trump announced he's donating his third-quarter salary - about $100,000 - to help the Department of Health and Human Services fight opioids." (Greg Allen, "Trump Says He Will Focus On Opioid Law Enforcement, Not Treatment," NPR , 2/7/18)
In March 2018, President Trump Signed The $1.3 Trillion Funding Bill. "President Donald Trump signed the $1.3 trillion spending bill to keep the federal government open Friday behind closed doors, then emerged to excoriate Congress for passing the legislation in the first place." (Jeremy Diamond and Jeff Zeleny, "Trump Signs Spending Bill, Blasts Congress," CNN , 3/23/18)
- The Bill Included $4.7 Billion To Fight The Opioid Crisis With An Additional $1 Billion For State Grants. "Federal funding to combat the opioid epidemic has increased over the past few years, as the health crisis has worsened. The spending bill passed in March of this year included $4.7 billion to fight the health crisis, including $1 billion for grants for states." (Natalie Andrews, "Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation To Combat Opioid Epidemic," The Wall Street Journal , 9/17/18)
In September 2018, President Trump Signed "A Massive Spending Bill" That Would Provide Money For The Department Of Defense And The Department Of Health And Human Services. "U.S. President Donald Trump signed a massive spending bill on Friday, providing hundreds of billions of dollars for the Department of Defense and averting the threat of a federal government shutdown at least until December. The bill includes $675 billion to fund the Defense Department for the full year ending on Sept. 30, 2019, as well as additional funds for the wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere, and $180 billion for the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Departments." ("Trump Signs Spending Bill, Averts Shutdown Threat Until December," Reuters , 9/28/18)
- The Bill Provided A $145 Million Increase For The Treatment Of Opioid Addiction. "The bill also would provide a $145 million increase for treatment of opioid addiction, bringing spending to $3.7 billion to confront what lawmakers called an epidemic of abuse." (Matthew Daly, "Senate Backs $854B Bill To Fund Health, Education, Military," The Associated Press , 8/27/18)
In October 2018, President Trump Signed The "SUPPORT For Patients And Communities Act." (SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, Pub. L. No. 115 - 271 , Signed Into Law 10/24/18)
- The Bill Was One Of This Congress' "Most Significant Legislative Achievements." "It is one of Congress's most significant legislative achievements this year, a rare bipartisan response to a growing public health crisis that resulted in 72,000 drug-overdose deaths last year." (Coby Itokotwitz, "Senate Easily Passes Sweeping Opioids Legislation, Sending To President Trump," The Washington Post , 10/3/18)
- The Bill "Creates, Expands And Reauthorizes" Programs And Policies Across Various Federal Agencies That Address Different Aspects Of The Opioid Epidemic Including Prevention, Treatment And Recovery. "It creates, expands and reauthorizes programs and policies across almost every federal agency, aiming to address different aspects of the opioid epidemic, including prevention, treatment and recovery." (Colby Itkowitz, "Senate Easily Passes Sweeping Opioids Legislation, Sending To President Trump," The Washington Post , 10/3/18)
- The Bill Reauthorized The 21st Century Cures Act Which Put $500 Million A Year Toward The Opioid Crisis. "Reauthorizes funding from the Cures Act, which put $500 million a year toward the opioid crisis, and makes tweaks to hopefully give states more flexibility in using the funding." (German Lopez, "Trump Just Signed A Bipartisan Bill To Confront The Opioid Epidemic," Vox , 10/24/18)
President Trump's 2020 Budget Proposal "Provides $2.3 Billion In Discretionary Resources For DEA , Including An Additional $35 Million To Enhance Heroin Enforcement Efforts." "The Department of Justice recognizes its critical role in combating prescription opioid misuse and illicit heroin and fentanyl use. The Budget provides $2.3 billion in discretionary resources for DEA, including an additional $35 million to enhance heroin enforcement efforts, end anonymous online drug trafficking, and pursue transnational criminal organizations profiting from these deadly substances." ("A Budget For A Better America," White House , Accessed 3/13/19, p. 63)
The Budget Provides $330 Million For "Opioid-Related State And Local Assistance." "In addition, the Budget includes $330 million for opioid-related State and local assistance including: $145 million for the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program to support treatment and recovery, diversion, and alternatives to incarceration programs; $125 million for Drug Courts, Mental Health Courts, and Veterans Treatment Courts; $30 million for Residential Substance Abuse Treatment; and $30 million for Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs." ("A Budget For A Better America," White House , Accessed 3/13/19, p. 63)
President Trump's 2020 Budget Proposal Also Sets Aside An Additional $245 Million Over The Next Ten Years Towards Combating The Opioid Crisis. ("A Budget For A Better America," White House , Accessed 3/13/19, p. 122)
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