With recent projections placing 2016's opioid-related death total above 62,000, it's critical for the federal government to intensify its efforts to curb the rising rates of deaths attributable to opioid overdoses, according to an op-ed by Nicholas Kristof published in The New York Times.
Mr. Kristof argues the government's response to the nation's opioid crisis has been paltry when compared to other historic national endeavors.
Though the number of people dying from opioid overdoses continues to climb with no peak in sight, "our efforts to address this scourge are pathetic," wrote Mr. Kristof. "We responded to World War II with the storming of Normandy, and to Sputnik with our moonshot. Yet we answer this current national menace with … a Republican plan for healthcare that would deprive millions of insurance and lead to even more deaths!"
To read Mr. Kristof's full op-ed, click here.
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