NURS-6050N22
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Walden University *
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6050A
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Health Science
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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Approaches to Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: A Comparative Analysis of Presidents
Biden and Trump
The opioid crisis is a serious public health issue in the US that calls for comprehensive
policy solutions from succeeding governments. This article compares and contrasts the
different approaches used to address this problem by Presidents Joe Biden and Donald
Trump, highlighting their similarities and differences.
During President Trump's presidency, the opioid problem received a lot of media
attention. Law enforcement and supply-side policies were at the forefront of his
administration's reaction. An important accomplishment was the SUPPORT for Patients
and Communities Act's signing in 2018, which supported prescription drug monitoring
programs and increased access to addiction treatment (Holmgren et al., 2020). Trump's
strategy was attacked for not adequately addressing the causes of addiction and for
allocating inadequate funds for treatment programs, despite the emphasis it placed on
controlling the distribution of opioids.
President Biden, on the other hand, has adopted a policy that is more broad and
focused on public health. Harm reduction, treatment availability, and tackling the
socioeconomic causes of addiction are all priorities under his administration. In order to
handle addiction as a public health problem, President Biden's American Rescue Plan
Act of 2021 contains measures to strengthen mental health and drug misuse programs
(
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Millions of Dollars in New Funds for States to
Tackle Mental Health Crisis
, 2022). President Biden's strategy focuses on prevention,
increasing access to treatment, and providing mental health assistance in an effort to
address both the current crisis and the more significant structural issues brought on by
the opioid epidemic.
Although both administrations acknowledged the severity of the opioid problem, there
are differences in the extent and focus of their strategies. While President Trump's plan
was successful in stopping the supply of opioids, it fell short in addressing addiction's
complex nature in its entirety. The strategy taken by President Biden, which emphasizes
prevention, treatment, and all-encompassing support networks, is consistent with a
larger public health viewpoint.
In conclusion, the opioid crisis continues to be a crucial public health concern that
requires carefully considered solutions to lessen its effects. While President Biden's
government supports a more all-encompassing strategy concentrating on treatment and
prevention, President Trump's administration prioritized attempts to limit the distribution
of opioids. Moving ahead, it is critical to combine the advantages of these strategies in
order to develop a coordinated approach that tackles both the current crisis and the
underlying causes of the opioid epidemic, as articulated in Healthy People 2030.
References
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Millions of Dollars in New Funds for States to
Tackle Mental Health Crisis
. (2022, October 18). Www.samhsa.gov.
https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20221018/biden-harris-
administration-announces-funding-states-tackle-mental-health-crisis
Holmgren, A. J., Botelho, A., & Brandt, A. M. (2020). A History of Prescription Drug
Monitoring Programs in the United States: Political Appeal and Public Health
Efficacy.
American Journal of Public Health
,
110
(8), 1191–1197.
https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2020.305696
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