President Donald Trump’s commission on opioid abuse urged the administration to take immediate action by declaring the epidemic a national emergency and expanding access to treatment to alleviate the crisis. “With approximately 142 Americans dying every day, America is enduring a death toll equal to September 11th every three weeks,” the commission said in a report issued Monday. A White House statement said the administration will “immediately” begin reviewing the panel’s recommendations. Acting White House drug czar Richard Baum said he was “encouraged” by the report. “Addressing the opioid epidemic is a top priority for the president and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy,” Baum said in a statement.

Source: Huffington Post August 01, 2017 17:48 UTC