The US Won’t Declare Opioid Crisis An ‘Emergency’

The United States government has no immediate plans to label the opioid epidemic sweeping the nation as an emergency. It is, nonetheless, a crisis, but this time, the government should consider deregulation, not increased drug enforcement.

Public health experts had said that an emergency declaration was much needed in turning the tide to save American lives. The commission, headed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, was resolute in maintaining the importance of an emergency declaration. “Our citizens are dying,” it said. But, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price on Tuesday, President Donald Trump has no immediate plans to declare the nation’s opioid epidemic a public health emergency, a decision that defies the key recommendation by the President’s bipartisan opioid commission.

But simply making some sort of declaration of public health emergency won’t save lives. Education and health care professionals concerned about saving lives is what will matter. The opioid crisis was started by Big Pharma and aided by the very government who now thinks they can somehow stop it from progressing. A simple declaration of a problem won’t solve said problem. We already know it’s out of control. Maybe this time, the government should take a seat and let decriminalization solve the quandary but don’t expect that to happen. There’s no money for them in ending the war on drugs.

Have no fear; big government will still step in, even without the declaration. Trump said that a stronger law enforcement response is needed and that he is committed to combating the problem.

“The president certainly believes that we will treat it as an emergency — and it is an emergency,” Price said. Trump just won’t declare it an emergency, he explained.”We believe that at this point, the resources that we need or the focus that we need to bring to bear to the opioid crises can be addressed without the declaration of an emergency,” Price said, “although all things are on the table for the president.” He emphasized that he’s working with agencies across the Cabinet on a strategic prevention, treatment and recovery plan and that the president was briefed and fully on board. He said Trump “made certain that we understood he was absolutely committed to making certain that we turn this scourge in the right direction.” –CNN

Government has rarely been the solution to the problems they themselves had a huge hand in creating. One solution that won’t end the epidemic, but would have huge effects on it, would be deregulation according to Psychology Today. The second suggestion detailed in the article would have the most dramatic impact on the opioid epidemic:

2. Call for legal regulation of heroin and other currently illegal drugs to protect users from unwittingly consuming the haphazard, fraudulent and dangerous combinations often sold on the street. Call for painkillers to be available to people who want them under medical supervision, along with heroin maintenance sites, while making medical or other trained supervision of use available.

It is worth noting here that just as the Surgeon General’s addiction report came out, the British Medical Journal issued a clarion call: “The war on drugs has failed: doctors should lead calls for drug policy reform.” The BMJ’s report does not contain the words “brain,” “disease,” or “addiction.” Instead, it asserts:

“…a thorough review of the international evidence concluded that governments should decriminalize minor drug offenses, strengthen health and social sector approaches, move cautiously towards regulated drug markets where possible.”

Deregulation scares everyone though. But the government’s failed war on drugs is continuing to make this epidemic worse by the day.

Either way, whether we like it or, we’ll get more government to “solve” the problem even without an emergency declaration. Of course, don’t suggest marijuana or decriminalization – which has proven to help addicts, it’ll upset Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other government worshipers.