President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at the White House opioid summit Thursday, announcing his administration will roll out an opioid policy "over the next three weeks." During his brief remarks, the president focused on the need for stricter criminal penalties for drug dealers and federal lawsuits against opioid manufacturers — something he said he's in talks with Attorney General Jeff Sessions about.
The panel focused on three key components: treatment and recovery, law enforcement, and education and prevention. Audience members who have been directly affected by the epidemic got a chance to ask top Trump administration officials questions about how they're addressing our nation's drug issue.
In an announcement earlier this week about a new opioid task force, the Department of Justice said it will file a statement of interest backing states and local entities in hundreds of lawsuits against drugmakers.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
