Biden Reaffirms Administration’s Commitment to Tackling Addiction Crisis
The addiction crisis is national, but for millions of US families—including his own—it is also personal, President Joe Biden told attendees of the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit in recorded remarks presented on Tuesday morning in Atlanta, Georgia.
“That’s why in my State of the Union address, I made beating the opioid epidemic part of my unity agenda,” Biden said.
>> WATCH President Joe Biden’s address to the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit
People with addictions face too many roadblocks to treatment, Biden said. Last month during his State of the Union, Biden shared a plan to address the addiction and opioid epidemic by allocating $41 billion in the government’s fiscal year 2022 (FY2022) budget for drug policy efforts, including research, prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support services.
“It’s time we treat addiction like we treat all other diseases,” the president said.
Tuesday marked the second straight year Biden has addressed the Rx Summit. Previously, the Summit has hosted President Donald Trump in 2019, President Bill Clinton in 2018, and President Barack Obama in 2016.
During his remarks presented on Tuesday, Biden also noted that the administration is targeting the profits of drug traffickers by disrupting their financial networks, supply chains, and delivery routes, as well as online sales platforms.
“We’re making it more costly for them in every single way,” he said.
Biden concluded his address by lauding attendees’ efforts and reaffirming his administration’s support.
“To all of you who have done so much to address this crisis through prevention, public health, and public safety, thank you,” Biden said. “We are going to stand with you. You will get the support and resources you need to beat this.”
References
Biden J. Plenary. Presented at: Rx and Illicit Drug Summit; April 18-21, 2022; Atlanta.
