With Biden Team Focused On Other Crises, Experts Say Drug Epidemic Is Exploding
at 9:18 am NPR
In the weeks after winning the November election, Joe Biden began naming officials to tackle the vortex of crises his administration would face on day one.
There was a team for the coronavirus, a team for climate change, a team for racial justice and a team for the stricken economy.
But despite a soaring death rate from drug overdoses, which hit a grim new record in 2020, President Biden hasn t named permanent leaders for three key agencies tasked with tackling the drug epidemic: the Food and Drug Administration, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
[co-author: Talia Linneman]
Several key Biden nominees have historically favored legalization
First cannabis reform act of the session filed in Congress
Arizona’s adult-use dispensaries begin operations
California credit union offers access to banking services for cannabis businesses
Ireland finally funds its medical cannabis program
And more…
Federal
Biden health nominees have history of supporting legal cannabis - President Biden nominated Rachel Levine to be assistant secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Dr. Levine, currently Pennsylvania’s secretary of health, was instrumental in establishing and then expanding that state’s medical cannabis program, and her HHS nomination
Mexican opium poppy farmers are demanding the army quit destroying their crops and leave the area. (UNODC)
Marijuana Policy
South Dakota Judge Hears Arguments on Marijuana Amendment. A state judge in Pierre presided over nearly three hours of arguments Wednesday from attorneys challenging and defending the state s voter-approved marijuana legalization constitutional amendment. The constitutionality of the amendment is being challenged by the head of the Highway Patrol and the Pennington County sheriff, with the support of Gov. Kristi Noem (R). Ironically, Noem s attorney general, Jason Ravnsborg, is part of the team defending the amendment. The judge said she would issue a written opinion but gave no timeline for doing so.
With Biden Team Focused On Other Crises, Experts Say Drug Epidemic Is Exploding
By Brian Mann
January 29, 2021
In the weeks after winning the November election, Joe Biden began naming officials to tackle the vortex of crises his administration would face on day one.
But despite a soaring death rate from drug overdoses, which hit a grim new record in 2020, President Biden hasn’t named permanent leaders for three key agencies tasked with tackling the drug epidemic: the Food and Drug Administration, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“It’s a front burner issue on any day of the week but not on this day,” Reuben Guttman, an expert on drug policy who teaches at Emory Law, said last week in an interview with NPR. “And that’s a real problem.”
Listen • 3:08
President Joe Biden speaks about the coronavirus pandemic in the State Dining Room of the White House on Tuesday.
In the weeks after winning the November election, Joe Biden began naming officials to tackle the vortex of crises his administration would face on day one.
But despite a soaring death rate from drug overdoses, which hit a grim new record in 2020, President Biden hasn t named permanent leaders for three key agencies tasked with tackling the drug epidemic: the Food and Drug Administration, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It s a front-burner issue on any day of the week but not on this day, Reuben Guttman, an expert on drug policy who teaches at Emory Law, said last week in an interview with NPR. And that s a real problem.