United in Action: A National Commitment to Overdose Awareness and Prevention
During Overdose Awareness Week, we solemnly remember those who have tragically lost their lives to overdose deaths. The opioid epidemic has left a devastating impact on individuals, families, and communities across America. As we reflect on the progress made in reducing the number of annual overdose deaths and safeguarding American lives, we recognize how much more work lies ahead. We reaffirm our commitment to intensifying efforts to disrupt the supply of FYL and other synthetic opioids, while supporting individuals suffering from substance use disorder and their families in every community.
My Administration has prioritized combating the opioid epidemic as a cornerstone of the Unity Agenda for the Nation. This effort calls for bipartisan collaboration to stop the influx of FYL into our communities, hold those responsible accountable, and ensure the delivery of life-saving medications and care throughout the country.
Our approach to addressing this crisis is comprehensive, encompassing expanded access to evidence-based prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support services, as well as efforts to reduce the supply of illicit drugs. We have significantly increased access to life-saving treatments, including medications for opioid use disorder, and have expanded the number of healthcare providers authorized to prescribe these medications by 15 times. In February 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a new rule, updating Opioid Treatment Program regulations for the first time in 20 years. This move removes barriers to treating substance use disorder and expands access to care. My Administration has made historic investments in the State Opioid Response and Tribal Opioid Response programs to enhance prevention, expand treatment, and deliver free, life-saving medications across America. These efforts have already resulted in the distribution of nearly 10 million kits of opioid overdose reversal medications, such as naloxone.
We continue to combat the stigmatization surrounding substance use and accidental overdose, encouraging individuals to seek help when needed. Naloxone is now available over-the-counter at local grocery stores and pharmacies. We also launched the White House Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose and several awareness campaigns, securing commitments from local governments and cross-sector organizations to increase training and access to opioid overdose reversal medications in schools, workplaces, transit systems, and other community spaces. My Fiscal Year 2025 Budget requests $22 billion to expand substance use treatment and help more Americans achieve and maintain recovery.
Under my Administration, Federal law enforcement agents are more effective than ever at keeping deadly drugs out of our communities. We are seizing record amounts of illicit drugs at our borders, ensuring they never reach our neighborhoods. In the past two fiscal years, more illicit FYL has been intercepted at ports of entry than in the previous five fiscal years combined. The Department of Justice has successfully prosecuted leaders of the world’s largest and most powerful drug cartel, along with thousands of drug traffickers. The Department of the Treasury has sanctioned over 300 individuals and organizations involved in the global illicit drug trade. I have also deployed cutting-edge drug detection technology along our southwest border and continue to call on Congress to strengthen border security, increase penalties for those who bring deadly drugs into our communities, and close loopholes exploited by drug traffickers. In July 2024, I issued a National Security Memorandum directing all relevant Federal departments and agencies to collaborate more intensively to stop the supply of illicit FYL and other synthetic opioids entering our country.
I remain committed to working with international partners to address this crisis. Last year, I successfully negotiated the re-launch of counternarcotics cooperation between the United States and the People’s Republic of China, resulting in increased law enforcement coordination, efforts to tackle the illicit financing of drug cartels, and stricter regulation of certain precursor chemicals. I have also strengthened counternarcotics cooperation with other key foreign governments, launched the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats — bringing together over 150 countries in the fight against drug trafficking cartels — and introduced new initiatives between the United States, Mexico, and Canada targeting the supply of illicit drugs. Additionally, I have made countering FYL and other synthetic opioids a priority of the G7.
For the first time in five years, the number of overdose deaths in the United States is beginning to decline. But even one death is too many, and far too many Americans continue to lose loved ones to FYL.
Today, I grieve alongside all the families and friends who have lost someone to an overdose. This is a moment to act and to stand united — for all those we have lost and for the lives we can still save.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 25 through August 31, 2024, as Overdose Awareness Week. I urge citizens, government agencies, civil society organizations, healthcare providers, and research institutions to raise awareness of substance use disorder, combat stigmatization, promote treatment, celebrate recovery, and strengthen our collective efforts to prevent overdose deaths. August 31 also marks Overdose Awareness Day, a day to honor and remember those who have lost their lives to the overdose epidemic.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
Source: The White House