Cities Applaud Trump’s Commission on Opioids, But Need Efforts Already Underway to Continue

WASHINGTON — March 30, 2017 — Last night, President Trump signed an executive order that establishes his Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will serve as the chair of the commission, which will study the scope and effectiveness of the federal government’s response to drug addiction nationwide and the opioid crisis. In response to yesterday’s announcement, NLC President Matt Zone, councilmember, Cleveland, released the following statement:

“The nation’s cities are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic each day, and we welcome any effort to start a conversation and bring people together to find real solutions. Today, we applaud the President for forming the Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, and naming Governor Christie as its chair.

“Now, however, the commission must also continue and build upon the extensive efforts already made to curb and reverse the trend of rising addiction rates. The previous Congress and administration had worked to provide local governments with some of the tools needed to fight the opioid crisis, including the 21st Century CURES Act, passed last December.

“Solutions to this deadly drug epidemic will only come from a broad array of voices and will require input from the federal, state and local levels of government. We urge Governor Christie to seek local insight by appointing local officials to serve alongside him. The commission needs to hear from those who experience the fight against opioid addiction firsthand, and to act swiftly to save lives in our communities.”

NLC has been at the forefront of efforts to combat the opioid crisis. Earlier this year, NLC and the National Association of Counties (NACo) launched the City-County National Task Force on the Opioid Epidemic, which released the report, “A Prescription for Action: Local Leadership in Ending the Opioid Crisis.” The report provides recommendations for how local officials should address the opioid crisis, and explores how cities and counties can strengthen collaboration with each other and with state, federal, private sector and nonprofit partners. Access the full report here.