President Donald Trump plans to declare the opioid crisis a “national emergency.”
"We're going to spend a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of money on the opioid crisis,” President Trump said from his New Jersey golf club on Thursday. “It is a serious problem the likes of which we have never had."
The designation would mean more funding and more resources to fight against the drug, although specifics have not yet been revealed. Governor Kasich already dedicates funding in his budget, with Ohio being the epicenter of the crisis.
State and local leaders reacted swiftly to the President’s announcement, many applauding the administration’s move.
I applaud @POTUS @realDonaldTrump for his plans to declare opioid crisis a nat'l emergency. New resources from federal gov will help Ohio.
— Ohio AG Mike DeWine (@OhioAG) August 10, 2017
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur released a statement saying this is a good step, but added, “I will remind the President’s team as they move forward, that Medicaid provides the bulk of addiction treatment and is a key partner in providing much-needed care to those in need.”
The Health Commissioner for the Lorain County General Health District, David Covell, released this statement: “We are grateful that this administration has put this problem on a national stage – we are hopeful that this will mean more resources for the work we are already doing.”
In Lake County, in the basement of the Mentor Public Library, a group gathered Thursday night to fight their own battle against opioids. For them, there is no time to wait for help.
“We can’t. We’re losing a whole generation,” said Amber Strnad.
Strnad started Lake County Ohio’s Fight Against Heroin, a Facebook page, in October. Since then, it has morphed into a community outreach program planning its first big event.
“Hope over Heroin” runs August 25 and 26 at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
“This is not just for addicts. This is for families, this is for our community,” Strnad told the group of volunteers gathered to learn more.
One of those volunteers is Diane Champa. Her son, Christopher, was a Boy Scout, straight "A" student, and graduate of Mentor High School. He was also a heroin addict who overdosed at age 33 and died on June 7, 2015.
“I was so naive and most parents, you want to believe your kids. You can't believe your babies would do things like this to themselves,” Champa said. “He was my first born, he was my baby. I counted his fingers, I counted his toes. He was supposed to live longer than me.”
Both Champa and Strnad hope the “national emergency” designation results in an emphasis on education and awareness, as well as funding for more treatment centers.
But for them, there is no sense in waiting. It’s time for action.
For more information about Lake County's Hope over Heroin event, click here.
