Trump declares opioids a public health emergency

WASHINGTON—The Trump administration declared the U.S. opioid epidemic a public health emergency Thursday. “We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic. We can do it,” said President Donald Trump during an announcement at the White House. Opioid abuse continues to plague U.S. communities, particularly in rural areas. Opioid overdoses account for more than 140 deaths every day in the United States, and millions more struggle with addiction. From 2002 to 2015, there was a 2.8-fold increase in the total number of opioid related deaths, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Trump’s announcement stopped short of releasing additional money to government agencies, but it shifts regulations to make it easier for opioid addicts to receive treatment and establishes new safeguards to keep the drugs out of the wrong hands. Meanwhile, the announcement directs the Department of Justice to allocate more time and resources to prosecute drug traffickers. Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is working with other state governors to deliver recommendations to the White House to address the issue in local communities. Trump said he expected the full report by next week.