LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County will receive about $1.4 million in federal funding to combat the opioid crisis, part of nearly $320 million awarded nationwide, the Department of Justice announced.
“President Trump has made ending the opioid crisis a priority for this administration, and under his leadership, the Department of Justice has taken historic action,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. “We are attacking this crisis from every angle — and we will not let up until we bring it to an end.”
More than 72,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017, up from roughly 64,000 overdose deaths in 2016, and prescription and illegal opioids are the main driver of those deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The administration’s plan includes money for prevention, treatment and enforcement and Sessions said it would help crime victims, children, families and first responders.
The DOJ said it has assigned more than 300 federal prosecutors and 400 DEA task force officers to fight the drug crisis in America, leading to criminal charges in 2017 against more than 3,000 defendants for trafficking in heroin, fentanyl or prescription drugs.
Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge is a new federal program aimed at reducing the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas and the department has also developed a data analytics program to detect abuse by doctors and pharmacies.
In addition, the administration’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” mandates a 10 percent reduction in manufacturing quotas in 2019.
Both the rate and rate of increase of opioid overdose deaths is higher in the eastern half of the United States, with the highest rates of death in West Virginia, Ohio, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, according to the latest available data on the CDC website from 2016.
Los Angeles County was granted $500,000 to support partnerships between first responders and treatment providers plus $870,000 to leverage information from public health and public safety databases to identify potential solutions.
The Antelope Valley Partners for Health was separately awarded $749,801 to expand programs for children victimized as a result of the opioid crisis.
The announcement of new funding comes as federal agencies prepare to mark two important anti-drug events: Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 27.
Red Ribbon Week encourages students, parents, school and communities to promote drug-free lifestyles.
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Tired says
There is no hope. The money wont help. As a parent of an opiod addict caused by a local doctor carelessly prescribing my son… The only way out for a parent is suicide other wise the neoghborhood gangs up on you… Calling you a horrid parent even though a doctor caused the problem. I just had my neighbors daughter scream im not helping my son… Well ive called rehabs,c[urt, and more he is an adult I cant do anything to save him. Whers the money really going? I do not see any change coming. As a parent who neighbors illegally broke in my home car called me a whore bad mom ect…. I think suicide is the only way out of the harrassment … I tried… I did.
F__k the AV says
Perspective: President Trump inherited $431 BILLION dollars from his daddy.
Inherited.
Pullout out your calculator and find out how many times $1.4 million dollars can be divided into $431 BILLION dollars and that should clarify the priorities of the Dis-United States.
Alexis says
Most heroin and meth users, or any drug seeking person, started out using prescription drugs.
Al-Qaeda says
“More than 72,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017…”
That is just under 1,400 deaths a week.
David G says
This is an absolute waste of tax payer money…another touchy feely woo woo woo liberal scam….this is about the same as spending money to pay for decoys who buy cigarettes and then go bust Granny who sold it to them..and then use asset forfeiture to take her home….we have many problems in the US…this is just a scam.
Matt says
Seems to me the article said Trump pushed for this…..a priority for this administration it says???? So what are you getting at?
David G says
A scam is a scam regardless of who promotes it. A touchy feely PC scam. I support Trump 1000000% and so what? This is wasteful. If someone wants to use drugs…it’s their life…this 1.4 mil is a drop in the bucket so to speak. What is it going to accomplish? Not a damn thing except to let pols say they are doing something.
Tim Scott says
We can tell how much you support Trump by the way you blame things that he does that you don’t like on “the lib’ruls.” That’s typical of Trumpists…fueled by irrational rage and looking to lash out, and always willing to slavishly march to Trump’s beat and lash out in the direction he commands, even when he is the source of their problems.
Thanks for providing such a clear example.
Matt says
Pretty thick arent u? Look I agree with u. If people want to do drugs, what ever, just dont leave the house. Seems to me u support Trump 99,999% of the time and not 100000. U found something u dont agree with him on. Rather than say that u say it’s the Dems fault when this is clearly Trumps baby is hilarious to me.
David G says
You are blathering and make no sense. I support Trump 10000%
Matt says
No, u dont. Again, THIS IS TRUMPS BILL which u said u dont support. Therefore, u dont support Trump on this one. Somehow u blamed Dems for it. Stay with me here, Trumps bill, u dont support it, therefore u dont support Trump on this piece of legislation. A+B=C? And I’m the one not making sense. SMH.
Tim Scott says
Matt, you aren’t accounting for Trumpist logic effects. Can’t blame you for that, as it is hard to stomach, but you can’t debate with Trumpists without accounting for it. They will just keep saying the same idiotic thing no matter how many times it gets pointed out as idiotic.
Alexis says
This a bipartisan bill, that has to do with Trump, David.
David G says
And your point is what? It’s a touchy feely scam. A complete waste of money.
Alexis says
You are saying Trump’s bill is a touchy feely scam, and a complete waste of money.
David G says
I said 1.4 mil is a scam…chump change and produces nothing other giving cover for touchy feely liberals. And if Trump supports it it’s pure politics optics. Anyway druggies can all die as far as I am concerned..personal responsibility doesn’t exist anymore…we are in the Nanny State. If someone wants to use drugs..let them. I will go farther and say I am OK with the Govt giving them the drugs for free….as long as tax payers don’t have to give them housing and food. In plain English F em all