President Donald Trump initially announced the national public health emergency in October 2017. The first order lasted 90 days, as does each extension by the HHS secretary. “We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic,” President Trump said in the October declaration.
However, addiction advocates have critiqued the country’s actions to address the opioid crisis, arguing the country had not done enough to prevent it.
President Trump released a plan to fight the opioid crisis in March, which contained several ideas that received approval from public health advocates. However, the plan faced criticism because it included pursuing the death penalty for certain drug traffickers.
Lawmakers are working on legislation to fight the epidemic. The Senate Health Committee is set to mark up its bipartisan bill April 24, and the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee will vote on more than 60 bills starting April 25.
More articles on opioids:
Poll: 80% of New Yorkers blame physicians for opioid crisis
Prince’s family sues Illinois hospital that treated him for opioid overdose 1 week before death
Survey: 1 in 3 patients used no opioids prescribed after surgery
