SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

* indicates required
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
'Wrong Way to Go': Experts Warn Trump Opioid Declaration Could Revitalize Failed War on Drugs

With 142 deaths from opioid overdoses per day, drug policy experts have demanded that the government increase access to treatment instead of dealing with the opioid crisis as a law enforcement issue. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty)

'Wrong Way to Go': Experts Warn Trump Opioid Declaration Could Revitalize Failed War on Drugs

"This is not a problem that we can incarcerate our way out of."

Drug policy experts are critical of the praise that some have given President Donald Trump following his announcement Thursday that he would classify the opioid epidemic a national emergency.

An emergency declaration regarding a public health crisis can put pressure on Congress to increase funding and resources to help combat the issue. But according to Trump's statement on Wednesday about the opioid epidemic, which killed more than 30,000 people in 2015, his strategy in combating it will be focused far more on prosecuting drug offenders and urging young people to "just say no" to drugs, than it will on treating the two million Americans who struggle with opioid addition.

Public health experts from government agencies and advocacy groups have long said the epidemic should be treated as a public health crisis and not as a crime problem. And the effectiveness of Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" initiative in the 1980s has been called into question.

With Trump's plans to crack down on drug offenders in mind, civil rights advocates are skeptical of his declaration.

"Trump's emergency declaration is likely going to amount to very little in the way of greater access to treatment and other help from the federal government," said Grant Smith of the Drug Policy Alliance. "What it could mean though is Trump and his attorney general Jeff Sessions using the emergency declaration to step up the kind of 'strong law enforcement' response to the opioid crisis that Sessions has been pursuing all along."

Sessions has called for harsh sentences for drug offenders, rolling back the Obama administration's reforms which pushed prosecutors to avoid mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders.

"Increasing the number of drug-related prosecutions, as Trump championed earlier this week, is the wrong way to go," said Ames Grawert of the Brennan Center for Justice. "This is not a problem that we can incarcerate our way out of. Instead we need to make sure people suffering from addiction have access to the treatment they need to get better."

Trump made no mention of the importance of increasing access to treatment in either of his statements on opioids this week, and has supported legislation that would impose severe cuts to Medicaid--which allows three in 10 people suffering from opioid addiction to get treatment.

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
"),t.type){case"pdf":if(a.default.isFirefox()||a.default.isEdge()||a.default.isIE())try{if(console.info("PrintJS currently doesn't support PDF printing in Firefox, Internet Explorer and Edge."),!0===t.onBrowserIncompatible())window.open(t.fallbackPrintable,"_blank").focus(),t.onPdfOpen&&t.onPdfOpen()}catch(e){t.onError(e)}finally{t.showModal&&l.default.close(),t.onLoadingEnd&&t.onLoadingEnd()}else d.default.print(t,o);break;case"image":f.default.print(t,o);break;case"html":u.default.print(t,o);break;case"raw-html":c.default.print(t,o);break;case"json":s.default.print(t,o)}}}},function(e,t,n){"use strict";Object.defineProperty(t,"__esModule",{value:!0});var r,o=n(0),i=(r=o)&&r.__esModule?r:{default:r},a=n(1);function l(e,t,n){var r=new window.Blob([n],{type:"application/pdf"});r=window.URL.createObjectURL(r),t.setAttribute("src",r),i.default.send(e,t)}t.default={print:function(e,t){if(e.base64){var n=Uint8Array.from(atob(e.printable),function(e){return e.charCodeAt(0)});l(e,t,n)}else{e.printable=/^(blob|http)/i.test(e.printable)?e.printable:window.location.origin+("/"!==e.printable.charAt(0)?"/"+e.printable:e.printable);var r=new window.XMLHttpRequest;r.responseType="arraybuffer",r.addEventListener("load",function(){if(-1===[200,201].indexOf(r.status))return(0,a.cleanUp)(e),void e.onError(r.statusText);l(e,t,r.response)}),r.open("GET",e.printable,!0),r.send()}}}},function(e,t,n){"use strict";Object.defineProperty(t,"__esModule",{value:!0});var r,o=n(1),i=n(0),a=(r=i)&&r.__esModule?r:{default:r};t.default={print:function(e,t){var n=document.getElementById(e.printable);n?(e.printableElement=function e(t,n){var r=t.cloneNode();var o=!0;var i=!1;var a=void 0;try{for(var l,d=t.childNodes[Symbol.iterator]();!(o=(l=d.next()).done);o=!0){var u=l.value;if(-1===n.ignoreElements.indexOf(u.id)){var c=e(u,n);r.appendChild(c)}}}catch(e){i=!0,a=e}finally{try{!o&&d.return&&d.return()}finally{if(i)throw a}}switch(t.tagName){case"SELECT":r.value=t.value;break;case"CANVAS":r.getContext("2d").drawImage(t,0,0)}return r}(n,e),e.header&&(0,o.addHeader)(e.printableElement,e),a.default.send(e,t)):window.console.error("Invalid HTML element id: "+e.printable)}}},function(e,t,n){"use strict";Object.defineProperty(t,"__esModule",{value:!0});var r,o=n(0),i=(r=o)&&r.__esModule?r:{default:r};t.default={print:function(e,t){e.printableElement=document.createElement("div"),e.printableElement.setAttribute("style","width:100%"),e.printableElement.innerHTML=e.printable,i.default.send(e,t)}}},function(e,t,n){"use strict";Object.defineProperty(t,"__esModule",{value:!0});var r,o=n(1),i=n(0),a=(r=i)&&r.__esModule?r:{default:r};t.default={print:function(r,e){r.printable.constructor!==Array&&(r.printable=[r.printable]),r.printableElement=document.createElement("div"),r.printable.forEach(function(e){var t=document.createElement("img");t.setAttribute("style",r.imageStyle),t.src=e;var n=document.createElement("div");n.appendChild(t),r.printableElement.appendChild(n)}),r.header&&(0,o.addHeader)(r.printableElement,r),a.default.send(r,e)}}},function(e,t,n){"use strict";Object.defineProperty(t,"__esModule",{value:!0});var r,o="function"==typeof Symbol&&"symbol"==typeof Symbol.iterator?function(e){return typeof e}:function(e){return e&&"function"==typeof Symbol&&e.constructor===Symbol&&e!==Symbol.prototype?"symbol":typeof e},c=n(1),i=n(0),a=(r=i)&&r.__esModule?r:{default:r};t.default={print:function(t,e){if("object"!==o(t.printable))throw new Error("Invalid javascript data object (JSON).");if("boolean"!=typeof t.repeatTableHeader)throw new Error("Invalid value for repeatTableHeader attribute (JSON).");if(!t.properties||!Array.isArray(t.properties))throw new Error("Invalid properties array for your JSON data.");t.properties=t.properties.map(function(e){return{field:"object"===(void 0===e?"undefined":o(e))?e.field:e,displayName:"object"===(void 0===e?"undefined":o(e))?e.displayName:e,columnSize:"object"===(void 0===e?"undefined":o(e))&&e.columnSize?e.columnSize+";":100/t.properties.length+"%;"}}),t.printableElement=document.createElement("div"),t.header&&(0,c.addHeader)(t.printableElement,t),t.printableElement.innerHTML+=function(e){var t=e.printable,n=e.properties,r='';e.repeatTableHeader&&(r+="");r+="";for(var o=0;o'+(0,c.capitalizePrint)(n[o].displayName)+"";r+="",e.repeatTableHeader&&(r+="");r+="";for(var i=0;i";for(var a=0;a'+l+""}r+=""}return r+="
"}(t),a.default.send(t,e)}}}]).default}); document.querySelector('.all-content-wrapper').setAttribute('id','printable'); ChangeListener('.lead_post_body_main .share-pinterest, .mobile_social_links .share-pinterest', function(el) { el.outerHTML=''; }); ChangeListener('.lead_post_body_main .share-print, .mobile_social_links .share-print', function(el) { el.addEventListener("click", function(){ if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Firefox") > 0) {window.print();}else{ printJS({printable: 'printable',type: 'html',targetStyles: ['*'],css: 'https://partners.rebelmouse.com/commondreams/print.css?s=0',style: ".custom-field-after-seconds,.custom-field-popup-bg-color,.custom-field-popup-text-color,.custom-field-location,.no-print { display: none !important; }"}); } }); }); }); window.REBELMOUSE_ACTIVE_TASKS_QUEUE.push(function(){ if (getCookie("popupShown") || (getCookie("hide_newsletter") != null && getCookie("hide_newsletter"))) { console.log("nothing to do"); return; } if(document.querySelector(".popup-modal .mb-2.popup--article #mc-embedded-subscribe") != null) { const popupform = document.querySelector(".popup-modal [name='mc-embedded-subscribe-form']"); popupform.addEventListener("submit", () => { setCookie("hide_newsletter", "true", 365); }); popupform.addEventListener("click", () => { setCookie("hide_newsletter", "true", 365); }); /*document.querySelector(".popup-modal .mb-2.popup--article #mc-embedded-subscribe").addEventListener("click", function(){ // Set the "hide_newsletter" cookie to "true" for 1 year (365 days) setCookie("hide_newsletter", "true", 365); });*/ } const popupBackdrop = document.querySelector(".popup--backdrop"); const closePopupButton = popupBackdrop.querySelector(".close-button"); const afterSecondsField = popupBackdrop.querySelector( ".custom-field-after-seconds" )?.textContent; const scrollingBeginsField = popupBackdrop.querySelector( ".custom-field-scrolling-begins" )?.textContent; const customFieldObj = document.querySelector(".popup--article .custom-field-visible-to-admin-only"); const customBGColor = popupBackdrop.querySelector('.custom-field-popup-bg-color').textContent const customTextColor = popupBackdrop.querySelector('.custom-field-popup-text-color').textContent popupBackdrop.style.setProperty('--background-color', `${customBGColor}`) popupBackdrop.style.setProperty('--text-color', `${customTextColor}`) const after_seconds = Number(afterSecondsField); const scrolling_begins = scrollingBeginsField === "True"; let lastScrollPosition = 0; let userHasInteracted = false; const scrollDeltaThreshold = 5; const showPopup = () => { console.log("---- showPopup ----") if (((customFieldObj != null && getCookie("userIsAdmin")) || customFieldObj == null) && !getCookie("popupShown") ){ popupBackdrop.classList.add("open"); setCookie("popupShown", true, 30); } }; const hidePopup = () => popupBackdrop.classList.remove("open"); closePopupButton.addEventListener("click", hidePopup); const userEvents = ["mousemove", "mousedown", "keydown", "touchstart"]; let userEventListenersRemoved = false; const userInteraction = () => { userHasInteracted = true; if (userEventListenersRemoved) return; userEvents.forEach((event) => { document.removeEventListener(event, userInteraction); userEventListenersRemoved = true; }); }; userEvents.forEach((event) => document.addEventListener(event, userInteraction) ); if (!scrolling_begins && !isNaN(after_seconds)) { setTimeout(showPopup, after_seconds * 1000); } else if (scrolling_begins) { document.addEventListener("scroll", debounce(handleScroll, 50)); } function handleScroll() { console.log("----handle Scroll----") if (scrolling_begins && !userHasInteracted) return; if (scrolling_begins) { const currentScrollPosition = window.scrollY || document.documentElement.scrollTop; const scrollDelta = Math.abs(currentScrollPosition - lastScrollPosition); if (scrollDelta > scrollDeltaThreshold) { setTimeout(showPopup, 0); document.removeEventListener("scroll", debounce(handleScroll, 50)); } lastScrollPosition = currentScrollPosition; } } function debounce(func, wait, immediate = false) { let timeout; return function (...args) { const context = this; const later = function () { timeout = null; if (!immediate) func.apply(context, args); }; const shouldCallNow = immediate && !timeout; clearTimeout(timeout); timeout = setTimeout(later, wait); if (shouldCallNow) func.apply(context, args); }; } // to be implemented: cookies function setCookie(name, value, days) { let date = new Date(); date.setTime(date.getTime() + days * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000); let expires = "expires=" + date.toUTCString(); document.cookie = name + "=" + value + ";" + expires + ";path=/"; } function getCookie(cname) { let name = cname + "="; let decodedCookie = decodeURIComponent(document.cookie); let ca = decodedCookie.split(";"); for (let i = 0; i < ca.length; i++) { let c = ca[i]; while (c.charAt(0) == " ") { c = c.substring(1); } if (c.indexOf(name) == 0) { return c.substring(name.length, c.length); } } return ""; } }); window.REBELMOUSE_ACTIVE_TASKS_QUEUE.push(function(){ REBELMOUSE_STDLIB.createElementChangeListener('a[data-track-share="Twitter"]', function(twitterEle) { // Check if the element exists if (twitterEle) { // Extract the href attribute from the Twitter link const twitterHref = new URL(twitterEle.href); // Extract the `text` and `url` parameters from the Twitter link const text = twitterHref.searchParams.get("text") || ""; const url = twitterHref.searchParams.get("url") || ""; // Construct the Bluesky compose URL with text first, then the space-separated URL const blueskyHref = `https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=${encodeURIComponent(text)} ${encodeURIComponent(url)}`; // Update the href attribute of the Twitter link to the Bluesky URL twitterEle.href = blueskyHref; } }); }); window.REBELMOUSE_ACTIVE_TASKS_QUEUE.push(function(){ if(document.querySelector(".body .newsletter-aside") != null && document.querySelector(".body") != null) { var newsletterr_heght = document.querySelector( ".body .newsletter-aside" ).clientHeight; var newsletterr_width = document.querySelector(".body").clientWidth; document.querySelector(".body").style.maxWidth = newsletterr_width + "px"; window.REBELMOUSE_STDLIB.onElementInViewport({ selector: ".body .newsletter-aside", threshold: -newsletterr_heght, oneTime: false, onIntersect: (entry) => { var element = entry.target; document.querySelector(".body .newsletter-aside").classList.add("higlight"); console.log("Intersection******************"); setTimeout(function() { document.querySelector(".body .newsletter-aside").classList.remove("higlight"); console.log("SetTimeout******************"); }, 2000); }, onBelowViewport: (element) => { document.querySelector(".body .newsletter-aside").classList.remove('higlight'); }, onAboveViewport: (element) => { document.querySelector(".body .newsletter-aside").classList.remove('higlight'); } }); } }); window.REBELMOUSE_ACTIVE_TASKS_QUEUE.push(function(){ var test = 'wrong-way-to-go-experts-warn-trump-opioid-declaration-could-revitalize-failed-war-on-drugs'; if(test && test != '' && test != 'null' && test != null){ /* Creates comment icon */ const leftButtons = document.querySelector('.lead_post_share_social .posts-custom .widget__shares'); const facebookSpan = leftButtons.querySelector('.share-fb').parentElement; facebookSpan.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend',''); /* Get Post data*/ fetch('https://commons.commondreams.org/t/wrong-way-to-go-experts-warn-trump-opioid-declaration-could-revitalize-failed-war-on-drugs/185699.json', { method: 'GET', headers: { 'Accept': 'application/json', }, }).then(response => response.json()) .then(response =>{ replyCount = response.posts_count - 1; document.querySelector('.comment_round_button .comment_count').textContent = replyCount; /* This line shows reply counter in Big Discourse Button:: */ /* document.querySelector('.discourse-btn .btn').textContent += ` (${replyCount})`; */ }); const commentsBtn = document.querySelector('.comment_round_button'); commentsBtn.addEventListener('click', function(ev){ window.open(commentsBtn.dataset.link, '_blank'); }); } /*document.querySelector(".share-plus.js-toggle").addEventListener("click", function(ele){ document.querySelector(".comment_round_button").classList.toggle("hide-button"); });*/ }); window.REBELMOUSE_ACTIVE_TASKS_QUEUE.push(function(){ REBELMOUSE_STDLIB.createElementChangeListener('.lead_post_tags_seo .social-author__name', function(el) { if(el.nextElementSibling && el.nextElementSibling.classList.contains('social-author__bio')) { el.nextElementSibling.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', '
Full Bio >
'); } else { el.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', '
Full Bio >
'); } }); }); window.REBELMOUSE_ACTIVE_TASKS_QUEUE.push(function(){ REBELMOUSE_STDLIB.createElementChangeListener(".newsletter-campaign .custom-field-source-text", function(button){ button.setAttribute('data-before', ''); button.innerHTML=''; }) }); window.REBELMOUSE_ACTIVE_TASKS_QUEUE.push(function(){ /* Checking the position set with a post custom field, if it is not a default one (above) - change the position to custom */ const blockPlacement = () => { const newsletterBlock = document.querySelector('.js-newsletter-wrapper'); const placementPosition = document.querySelector('.custom-field-newsletter-position') ? document.querySelector('.custom-field-newsletter-position').innerText : false; if (!placementPosition) { return newsletterBlock.classList.remove('visually-hidden'); } const targetBlock = document.querySelector('.tab_wrap'); placementPosition === 'above' || placementPosition === '' ? false : targetBlock.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', newsletterBlock); return newsletterBlock.classList.remove('visually-hidden'); } blockPlacement(); });
OSZAR »