The renewal of the public health emergency declaration to address America’s opioid crisis is the right step. I thank Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, for this decision.
In 2017, President Donald Trump declared the public health emergency. The declaration was set to expire on March 21, 2025. But Secretary Kennedy renewed it, which extends the emergency declaration for 90 days.
The opioid crisis affects a vast number of people in America. Opioid addiction leads to severe health effects. Opioid overdose results in many deaths across the country. In fact, overdose is the leading cause of death among Americans between the ages of 18 and 44 years.
As a country, we must be steadfast in our commitment to protect lives by addressing the opioid crisis. And for that, the renewal of this public health emergency is essential. This renewal allows Secretary Kennedy to have certain authorities that are needed to respond to the emergency.
One of the priorities of the Trump administration is to make America healthy again, as often mentioned using the acronym “MAHA” (Make America Healthy Again). And, in order to truly make America healthy again, the national opioid crisis must be addressed.
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