Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Broaches Idea Of Death Penalty For Dealers To Help Curb Opioid Epidemic
Reuters: Trump Urges Lawsuit Against Opioid Companies, Tougher Sentences For Dealers
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday called for a federal lawsuit against opioid companies and stiffer penalties for drug dealers, arguing that the government must take a strong approach to combat an opioid addiction epidemic. Trump said that he had urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to take legal action."Hopefully we can do some litigation against the opioid companies," Trump said at a summit hosted by the White House on the nation's opioid crisis. (Rascoe, 3/1)
The Associated Press: Trump Says Drug Dealers May Deserve 'Ultimate Penalty'
President Donald Trump said Thursday the "ultimate penalty" may be in order for drug dealers because the nation's drug problem will never be solved without a show of strength and toughness. The comments were Trump's most explicit on the matter to date. He previously has alluded to death for drug dealers by noting that some countries are "very harsh" with drug dealers. Trump also has said he knows the answer to the drug crisis, but he isn't sure the country is "ready for it yet." (Superville, 3/1)
The Washington Post: President Trump Suggests Executing Drug Dealers At Summit On Opioid Crisis
Trump’s statements came at the end of a two-hour summit on opioid addiction, in which Cabinet secretaries talked about combating the nation’s opioid epidemic with treatment programs and law enforcement officials discussed efforts to disrupt the supply chain for heroin and fentanyl in Mexico and China. Trump’s emphasis on criminal penalties stands in contrast to the focus on treatment by some of his Cabinet secretaries and many fighting the epidemic nationwide. (Zezima, 3/1)
Politico: Trump Suggests Death Penalty To Stop Opioid Epidemic
The remarks are likely to rankle administration critics who have urged the White House to focus on the public health component of the opioid crisis. The president's remarks did not touch on health approaches like providing additional funding for treatment. “It makes us all very nervous” that the U.S. could move back to a “penal-first approach,” said Andrew Kessler, who leads Slingshot Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in behavioral health policy that advocates for substance abuse treatment and prevention. “I have no love for high-level traffickers or cartels, but a very high percentage of people who sell drugs do it to support their own habit.” (Karlin-Smith and Ehley, 3/1)
The Hill: Melania Trump Calls For Action At Opioid Summit
First lady Melania Trump called for action on the opioid crisis in a speech Thursday kicking off a White House summit on the epidemic. The first lady added her voice to the discussion as the administration works to highlight steps it has taken to address the crisis. (Sullivan, 3/1)
The Boston Globe: Trump Keeps Talking About Opioids, But Critics Want Action
President Trump attempted to gain some initiative in his faltering efforts to combat opioid abuse with a White House summit Thursday, but critics decried what they see as only sporadic, ineffective attention to the epidemic from this administration. (Herndon, 3/2)
