By Erin Smith
President Donald Trump unveiled his Opioid Plan on Monday in New Hampshire. His proposed plan includes an awareness campaign, reducing the amount of drugs available, and making proven treatment options more readily available including expansion of treatment programs.
President Trump also requested Congress approve $6 billion in new funds for fiscal year 2018-19 to combat the opioid crisis, according to the BBC.
President Trump also called for initiating the use of the death penalty for drug dealers “where it is appropriate.” United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions did agree after President Trump’s speech on Monday to consider seeking the death penalty in drug cases where he felt it was warranted.
According to the BBC, the US already has federal laws in place regarding the use of the death penalty for drug-related murders, though it has never been utilized.
Doyle Owen of White Oak, said he agrees with utilizing the death penalty. He said that any time someone loses their life to an overdose, the death penalty for the drug dealer, if caught, should be an option.
“They know what they are doing,” said Owen of the drug dealers.
Owen lost his son, Brandon, to a drug overdose in February 2017. He has passionately shared the story of Brandon’s life and his battle with addiction.
During his speech in New Hampshire, President Trump told his audience that it is time to get tough on drug dealers which includes allowing the use of the death penalty. President Trump pointed out the products peddled by drug dealers have killed thousands of people over the years.
According to USA Today, 175 Americans die each day from drug overdoses. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, noted that 42,000 people were killed in 2016 by opioids which included prescription pills, heroin and fentanyl and more than 600,000 people died nationwide from overdoses during the period 2000 to 2016.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports that Emergency Room visits in North Carolina for overdoses is down in February 2018 with 397 visits compared to February 2017 with 433 visits.
In the past year, federal and state regulators have tightened laws governing the prescribing of opioids and the addition of prescription drug monitoring programs.
The Bladen County Opioid Task Force will meet on Tuesday, April 10, from 1 until 4 p.m. at the Bladen County Health Department.
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