- A bipartisan congressional commission released a report outlining a multi-pronged strategy to combat the opioid epidemic. The report states that the drug overdose epidemic in the U.S. costs the nation roughly $1 trillion a year and recommends five “pillars” for government action: 1) Elevating the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to a cabinet-level position, 2) disrupting the supply of drugs through better coordinated law enforcement actions, 3) reducing the demand for illicit drugs through treatment programs, 4) using diplomacy to enlist help from other governments in cutting off the supply of chemicals that criminal networks use to manufacture fentanyl, and 5) developing surveillance and data analysis tools to spot new trends in illicit drug use before they morph into major problems for society. (Articles here and here)
February 8, 2022
Opioid/Substance Use Disorders