Trump set to sign bill battling opioid crisis at the border

Tomorrow, President Trump will sign into law H.R. 6 – the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act to address the opioid crisis that is crippling the nation. While the over-prescription of pills gets a lot of attention in the national media, the bigger problem arguably comes from the illicit drugs coming in over the southern border. Illicit drugs like heroin and fentanyl accounted for 78 percent of the 64,000 drug-related deaths in 2016. Last year alone, 30,000 people died from synthetic opioids.

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, who has been one of most visible White House officials working on battling the opioid crisis, told reporters on a phone call that this bill has many provisions that will help with the interdiction, surveillance, and disruption of illegal drugs getting into the country. For instance, the bill includes the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act — or STOP Act —which would require the Postal Service to scan all packages entering the U.S from places like China and Mexico for opioids. Earlier this year, President Trump urged Congress to pass the STOP Act and “firmly STOP this poison from killing our children and destroying our country.” It passed in a bipartisan fashion.

More importantly, Conway said it will help bend the curve in the right direction on ending what experts are calling the single worst drug crisis this country has seen.

Tomorrow, the White House will also showcase private companies partnering up with the public sector to help increase awareness of what this administration is doing to combat the opioid epidemic. For instance, “Take Back Day,” which aims to provide a safe and anonymous way of disposing of prescription drugs.

Conway also teased big announcements from Amazon, Red Cross and Cigna.

You can read more about the bill here.

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