Paul J. Larkin, Bertha K. Madras, PhD
The federal government has long sought to prevent the horrors of drug addiction by interdicting the supply of dangerous psychoactive drugs—and reducing demand for them.
One step was the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It established the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) within the Executive Office of the President. Headed by a director colloquially known as “drug czar,” ONDCP had the task of developing a national drug-control strategy to reduce drug use. Its creation symbolized a strong bipartisan effort to prevent illicit drugs from destroying lives and weakening the nation.
Sadly, we have lost that shared mission. No president since George W. Bush has publicly demonstrated a deep and firm support for ONDCP and its mission.
The agency does not reside in the White House office building, let alone the West Wing. The federal government has largely been a bystander despite the unraveling of restrictive opioid prescribing, state implementation of medical/recreational marijuana programs in violation of federal laws, and the incipient movement by states to legalize psychedelics. Most presidents have largely ignored these trends.
Holding China and Mexico Accountable for America’s Fentanyl Crisis
The first Trump administration assembled a commission to combat drug addiction and the opioid crisis. The current one should support a comprehensive effort led by ONDCP to overhaul drug policies and strengthen America’s commitment to reducing and delegitimizing drug use. We need a revitalized ONDCP equipped with innovative goals and measurable outcomes to disrupt the pipeline to addiction and to cease preventable, premature deaths and mental health decline. A single centralized agency ensures coordination across federal agencies, state, and local levels to maximize efficiency and accountability.
Today, some members of America’s political class are desensitized to the drug crisis. They tolerate normalizing psychoactive substance use and the addiction, health crises, deaths, and collateral damage to families that follow. » Read More
https://www.heritage.org/public-health/commentary/the-drug-crisis-hasnt-gone-away-the-trump-administration-should-confront