Latest news with #ONDCP
Fox News
07-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Four important ways Trump can tackle the drug crisis and Make America Healthy Again
President Donald Trump's newly issued statement on drug policy priorities shows his administration has embraced the Make America Healthy Again movement as it tackles American's top public health crisis: addiction. The next step must be to re-empower the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), elevating America's anti-drug movement to the prominence it deserves. Despite the media-coined title, "drug czar," leading America's drug policy has been relegated to the background of the national fight against illicit substances for years. This office is supposed to speak for the president on drug policy and have statutory control over the federal government's drug policy budget, spread across multiple agencies. But regrettably, in a world of high emotions, big egos, congressional subcommittees, vocal interest groups, and competing issues, Americans likely haven't seen or heard much from our drug czars in decades. If utilized the right way, there is tremendous potential to reduce the suffering that is the consequence of drug addiction in the U.S. With close to 100,000 people a year dying of overdoses, more deadly drugs coming across the border, and for-profit industries targeting young people as lifelong customers, restoring ONDCP's relevance is critical. Here are four things that should be done to revitalize the office now: ONDCP must use its megaphone to show the toll drug use has taken on the nation's communities. Speaking with families, law enforcement, educators, and medical professionals will put faces to the statistics of those whose lives have been forever altered by the drug crisis. This country needs a new anti-drug message, and it needs it now. A science-based media campaign, directed especially at young people, is needed to offset the harms of extreme drug normalization policies like marijuana legalization and Oregon's short-lived Measure 110, which decriminalized all drugs. As the Department of Education ramps down, ONDCP should coordinate school-based prevention programs to ensure that every student learns about the dangers inherent in today's drug landscape, refusal skills and healthy coping strategies. ONDCP should use the full power of the office to lead a "drug cabinet" convened by Trump, that drives the execution of a coordinated national drug policy. In the spirit of DOGE, ONDCP should mandate each agency provide specifics about how it is fulfilling the directives laid out in the country's annual National Drug Control Strategy. Departments, initiatives and, yes, budgets, should be judged on how they're fulfilling their statutory mission – and the results they're achieving. ONDCP serves as a critical hub for interagency coordination, ensuring that disparate agencies work collaboratively and avoid duplication of effort and gaps in action. With today's medical and scientific evidence clearly demonstrating the harms of drug use, it's increasingly clear you can't truly want to Make America Healthy Again and think more drugs in our communities is a good thing. The addiction industry and international drug cartels, continue to create more potent, industrialized drugs are responsible for a public health crisis. Many of these drugs, including marijuana and THC-infused edibles are now medically proven to cause IQ loss, psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, suicidality and, of course, addiction. The director of ONDCP was a member of the president's cabinet in the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush Administrations. Re-elevating the position would underscore the Trump administration's dedication to addressing the nation's drug crisis and answer the call of the 55% of Americans who, according to a 2024 Pew poll, think that reducing the availability of illegal drugs should be a top priority for President Trump and Congress. A science-based media campaign, directed especially at young people, is needed to offset the harms of extreme drug normalization policies like marijuana legalization and Oregon's short-lived Measure 110, which decriminalized all drugs. Most Americans are familiar with the role and success of border czar Tom Homan. Similarly, elevating the position would restore considerable authority to the ONDCP team to shape news coverage, tout successes, push back against radical policies such as so-called "safe use" spaces, and provide a counterbalance to the steady stream of pro-drug messaging coming from the addiction industry and celebrity culture. President Trump, through ONDCP, can use the power of the presidency to make a lasting impact on the lives of millions of Americans. By deftly using the office's budgetary oversight, today's increasingly settled science on drug use, and the bully pulpit, we can reduce drug policy and the carnage it brings. Let's make ONDCP great again. The country needs that — now.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump appoints Sara Carter as next drug czar, says she 'will lead the charge to protect' US
President Donald Trump appointed Sara Carter as the next Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). He made the announcement on Friday in a post on social media platform Truth Social. "As our next Drug Czar, Sara will lead the charge to protect our nation, and save our children from the scourge of drugs," Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'Zombie Drug' Smuggled Across Southern Border A Growing Threat To Americans, Doctor Warns Carter re-posted Trump's Truth Social post on X with a message thanking the president and expressing her excitement about joining the administration. "It is truly an honor to serve President Donald J. Trump and be part of an administration committed to putting America first," Carter wrote. "America's greatest resource is our people and it will be up to each and every one of us to do our part - I promise you I will never stop fighting." As a journalist, Carter, who was a Fox News contributor, did extensive reporting on the border, particularly during the Biden administration when immigration policies were more lax. She called for stronger border policies due to the massive amount of drug and human trafficking occurring. Read On The Fox News App Navy Deploys Additional Warship To Curb Illegal Immigration, Drug Smuggling At The Southern Border Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., congratulated Carter in a post on X. Blackburn praised Carter's work on the border, saying the new drug czar would "fight tirelessly" to keep Americans safe. Texas Department of Public Safety Spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez also congratulated Carter and praised her appointment, saying it was "GREAT for the country." "This is an excellent opportunity for you to effect change and help so many families who have lost loved ones due to deadly illicit drugs," Olivarez wrote. Fox News Digital reached out to Carter for article source: Trump appoints Sara Carter as next drug czar, says she 'will lead the charge to protect' US
Fox News
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump appoints Sara Carter as next drug czar, says she 'will lead the charge to protect' US
President Donald Trump appointed Sara Carter as the next Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). He made the announcement on Friday in a post on social media platform Truth Social. "As our next Drug Czar, Sara will lead the charge to protect our nation, and save our children from the scourge of drugs," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Carter re-posted Trump's Truth Social post on X with a message thanking the president and expressing her excitement about joining the administration. "It is truly an honor to serve President Donald J. Trump and be part of an administration committed to putting America first," Carter wrote. "America's greatest resource is our people and it will be up to each and every one of us to do our part - I promise you I will never stop fighting." As a journalist, Carter, who was a Fox News contributor, did extensive reporting on the border, particularly during the Biden administration when immigration policies were more lax. She called for stronger border policies due to the massive amount of drug and human trafficking occurring. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., congratulated Carter in a post on X. Blackburn praised Carter's work on the border, saying the new drug czar would "fight tirelessly" to keep Americans safe. Texas Department of Public Safety Spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez also congratulated Carter and praised her appointment, saying it was "GREAT for the country." "This is an excellent opportunity for you to effect change and help so many families who have lost loved ones due to deadly illicit drugs," Olivarez wrote. Fox News Digital reached out to Carter for comment.
