Nearly two months ago, President Trump unofficially announced that the opioid crisis in America was a national emergency. Yet, the official declaration has yet to be signed. This could free up additional funding for highly affected areas, while giving states regulatory flexibility in order to quickly treat more people suffering from opioid dependence and misuse. West Virginia has the highest rate of fatal opioid overdoses in the country, killing 36 people out of every 100,000. That’s three times the per capita rate for the entire country. Dr. Rahul Gupta, West Virginia’s Public Health Commissioner, says until that declaration is signed, it’s about “doing more with less.” He meets with Soledad O’Brien to discuss the severity of the opioid crisis in his state and the nation’s pain culture.
See more of our discussion on balancing the fight against opioid deaths and treating those with chronic pain.
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