(COLUMBUS, Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today issued the following statement regarding President Trump Declaring a National Public Health Emergency to confront the nation's opioid crisis:
“I support the President’s declaration of a National Public Health Emergency to help combat our nation's opioid crisis. In Ohio, we lose at least 14 people every day to opioid overdoses. It is going to take all of us working together including parents, law enforcement, schools, churches, community groups, and government to turn this problem around, and the action items the President announced today will help on many fronts, including prevention, education, treatment and law enforcement.
"I also commend the President for his work to make treatment for drug addiction more affordable and accessible for Americans who need help. The President's commitment to getting the federal bureaucracy out of the way of innovative programs like telemedicine and remote prescribing will help especially in our rural areas.
"I am especially glad that the President announced that he will be ending the 16-bed rule for Medicaid. Earlier this month, I led an effort supported by attorneys general from across the county to eliminate this decades-old rule that limits residential treatment options. In announcing that he is removing this barrier to treatment, the President will help more Ohioans get the help they need to overcome this devastating disease.
"And I look forward to working with the administration on drug prevention efforts. It is critical that we provide our kids with age-appropriate drug prevention education every year in grades K-12 information so they can make good choices and avoid addiction."
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