What to Know
- Sessions met with both political and military officials with the goal of figuring out how federal agencies can better deal with the issue.
- In 2016, 116 people died every day from opioid related drug overdoses with some 42,000 people died from opioid overdoses for the entire year
- Sessions referenced Miami’s “Cocaine Cowboy” era in the 1980s, and how the federal government came in to help deal with that problem.
In an effort to help figure out a way to stop the opioid crisis plaguing the state of Florida, U.S. Attorney General Jeff sessions hosted a summit Thursday on how the federal government is getting more involved in combating the issue.
Sessions met with both political and military officials before holding closed meetings with the goal of figuring out how federal agencies can better collaborate on dealing with the widespread opioid abuse.
In 2016, 116 people died every day from opioid related drug overdoses with some 42,000 people died from opioid overdoses for the entire year – with the highest death tolls in Florida and California.
“Supply creates its own demand. The more the supply is out there, the more drugs will be used,” Sessions told reports. “So we have, in the law enforcement community and in the military, opportunities to help constrict that supply.”
The DEA has committed to a surge in agents on the case to focus on physicians who are improperly prescribing opioids. Assistant US Attorneys are assisting in problematic cities or counties to help prosecute doctors who are prescribing too many pills.
Sessions referenced Miami’s “Cocaine Cowboy” era in the 1980s, and how the federal government came in to help deal with that problem.
Local
“President Reagan sent (Vice President) Bush to Miami to save this city,” he said. “The Cocaine Cowboys were all over the place and the entire financial structure of Miami was jeopardized.”
The Attorney General hopes that the increased policing and raised awareness will reduce the abuse of opioids.
“We are urging good doctors to see if they can keep that pain pill prescription as low as possible and the bad doctors, we are coming after you,” Sessions said. “You are going to lose your license and many of them are going to jail right now.”
