The numbers were a little off. The Associated Press is reporting the true cost of the opioid epidemic at more than half a trillion dollars in 2015, more than six times larger than the most recent estimate. Oh, what bitter irony when Donald Trump’s own White House Council of Economic Advisors reaffirms that we really, truly, are in the throes of a health crisis. It was just a few weeks ago that Trump declared it a “public health emergency,” which sounds like a strong step but here’s the deal, it was a declaration devoid of dollars, which according to Vox, was a huge disappointment to those fighting this epidemic everyday on America’s streets.
“Trump won’t direct any new federal money to the opioid crisis, per administration officials. The declaration will free up the federal Public Health Emergency Fund to be used to fight the drug epidemic, but Congress hasn’t replenished the fund in years. There’s just $57,000 left in it — and public health experts say a serious response to the addiction crisis would cost $183 billion over the next decade.”
In other words, it was all hat and no cattle. Here’s another number that’s skyrocketing. Last year 64,000 Americans died from opioid overdose, up from 52,000 the year before. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., with more than 175 people dying every day. You would think a problem this severe would require an enormous response. So far, from this president, it’s been not much more than words. In fact it’s worse than that. Trump’s budget calls for cuts in medicaid, which is an enormous resource for fighting and funding opioid treatments for low income Americans.