sharing this newsletter from Facing Addiction:
Did you happen to catch 60 Minutes last night? I’m sure if you did, you found yourself in a state of shock after watching this infuriating report, Ex-DEA agent: Opioid crisis fueled by drug industry and Congress.In case you missed it, you can watch it here.At the height of the opioid epidemic, today stealing 144 lives per day, the pharmaceutical industry and major distributors of prescription painkillers spent $160 million to lobby Congress to pass legislation that changed an entire statute and removed the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to investigate and prosecute illegal shipments that are diverted. These are same entities who were primarily responsible for the supply chain that flooded American communities with pills that fueled the opioid epidemic.
Shockingly, the primary sponsor of this legislation, Pennsylvania Congressman Tom Marino, is now President Trump’s nominee to serve as the next Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. You can read more in this Washington Post Piece. We need you to call the White House directly today by clicking here – send the President a message that his nomination of Tom Marino must be rescinded.Tom Marino is an unacceptable choice for someone who sets drug policy for the United States. How are we to turn the tide on the addiction crisis when our nation’s potential next Drug Czar was one of the pharmaceutical industry’s leading advocates in Congress? We are angry, and we cannot stay silent.There are moments we cannot let pass by. This is one of them. Please, take just a few moments today and call the White House by clicking here. Call on behalf of all the families the President pledged to protect from the “drug crisis”. Speak and urge President Trump to withdraw his nomination of Tom Marino as our next Drug Czar.Thank you for all you do. As we continue Facing Addiction, we must demand that our leaders do the same.Warm regards,Michael KingDirector of Outreach & Engagement
