Obama Calls for Aggressive Steps to Curb Opioid Abuse Epidemic
- New rules would expand addiction treatment, government says
- Clinton, Trump have grappled with issue on campaign trail
A drug user takes a needle before injecting himself with heroin on March 23, 2016, in New London, Connecticut.
Photographer: John Moore/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
President Barack Obama said Tuesday that the U.S. government, along with the American people, need to take more aggressive steps to fight a growing public health crisis of painkiller and heroin abuse that is killing tens of thousands of people a year.
His administration issued new regulations on Tuesday that it said would make addiction treatment available to millions more people.