By — Laura Santhanam Laura Santhanam Leave a comment 0comments Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/watch-justice-department-and-drug-enforcement-administration-to-unveil-new-tool-to-fight-opioid-crisis Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration unveil new tool to fight opioid crisis Nation Updated on Nov 29, 2017 12:33 PM EDT — Published on Nov 29, 2017 11:32 AM EDT The Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration are slated to unveil new tools to combat the nation’s opioid crisis at 11:30 a.m. ET Wednesday. Watch the announcement streaming live in the video player above. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Acting DEA Administrator Robert Patterson are to announce more than $12 million in grants to help local law enforcement stem the manufacturing and flow of methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription opioids in communities, according to the Department of Justice. More than 64,000 Americans died of drug overdose in 2016, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those deaths, roughly one-third were linked to use of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that largely flows into the United States from manufacturers based in China, federal officials have said. According to a recent poll from PBS NewsHour and Marist Poll, roughly six out of 10 Americans do not think President Donald Trump has done enough to combat this epidemic. On Oct. 26, Trump declared opioid use a public health crisis, but has yet to appropriate new money for it. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Laura Santhanam Laura Santhanam Laura Santhanam is the Health Reporter and Coordinating Producer for Polling for the PBS NewsHour, where she has also worked as the Data Producer. Follow @LauraSanthanam @LauraSanthanam
The Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration are slated to unveil new tools to combat the nation’s opioid crisis at 11:30 a.m. ET Wednesday. Watch the announcement streaming live in the video player above. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Acting DEA Administrator Robert Patterson are to announce more than $12 million in grants to help local law enforcement stem the manufacturing and flow of methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription opioids in communities, according to the Department of Justice. More than 64,000 Americans died of drug overdose in 2016, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those deaths, roughly one-third were linked to use of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that largely flows into the United States from manufacturers based in China, federal officials have said. According to a recent poll from PBS NewsHour and Marist Poll, roughly six out of 10 Americans do not think President Donald Trump has done enough to combat this epidemic. On Oct. 26, Trump declared opioid use a public health crisis, but has yet to appropriate new money for it. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now