Kuster Statement on Priorities of ONDCP, Emphasizes Importance of Reducing Demand and Interrupting Supply of Illicit Drugs
Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force, released the following statement on the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) National Drug Control Strategy.
"Every life lost to an overdose is a tragedy. I am pleased to see the Biden administration's ONDCP taking clear, decisive steps to stop the flow of illicit drugs into our country and remove barriers to recovery. I have long said that in order to address the addiction epidemic, we must jointly lower demand and decrease supply. This new plan follows that approach and prioritizes reaching those most at risk of overdose, expanding access to harm reduction resources like naloxone, and disrupting the flow of illegal drugs across our borders by targeting drug traffickers, supply chains, and financial networks.
"No one chooses addiction, and we have a responsibility to equip those who want to recover with the resources to do so successfully. I look forward to Congress fully reviewing this plan and working with the administration and my colleagues to advance evidence-based policies, save lives, and finally turn the tide on this crisis."
The Biden administration's National Drug Control Strategy specifically lays out a plan to:
Address untreated addiction for those at risk of an overdose
Expand high-impact harm reduction interventions like naloxone
Ensure those at highest risk of an overdose can access evidence-based treatment
Improve data systems and research that guide drug policy development
Hold drug traffickers to account and disrupt their profits
Obstruct and disrupt the financial activities of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) that manufacture illicit drugs and traffic them into the United States
Reduce the supply of illicit drugs through domestic collaboration and international coordination
Reduce the supply of illicit drugs smuggled across our borders
The full ONDCP strategy is accessible HERE.
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