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The overdose epidemic affects all Americans, and in his first State of the Union, President Biden called on all Americans to work together to address it as part of a unity agenda for the Nation. As the President said, “Let’s beat the opioid epidemic.” This call to action comes at a critical moment. For the first time in our Nation’s history we have passed the tragic milestone of 100,000 deaths resulting from drug overdoses in a 12-month period. Since 1999, drug overdoses have killed approximately 1 million Americans. These are sons and daughters, parents and grandparents, neighbors and friends, and classmates and coworkers. This level of loss is heartbreaking and frankly, unacceptable. As we continue to lose an American life to drug overdose every five minutes around the clock, we find ourselves at an inflection point where we, as a Nation, must commit ourselves to doing what we know will help us triumph over this crisis. As a practicing physician, I have seen firsthand the barriers that prevent people from obtaining the substance use treatment they need. As a researcher, I have observed the pervasive biases that have enabled ineffective drug policy approaches to be repeated over and over with the same results. And as a policymaker, I have encountered the roadblocks to progress in our legal and medical systems. This is part of the reason why I have seen too many succumb to their disease. Too often, stigma hinders Americans from seeking and receiving the help they need. People with substance use disorder are in need of compassion and care. With the proper treatment and recovery support services, individuals go on to overcome addiction and lead successful lives. Every family in America, regardless of their background or beliefs, has been impacted by addiction in some way. This is the reality we are facing today. The epidemic has taken a devastating toll on public health as well as the economy. Addiction prevents someone from reaching their full potential and contributing to their families and communities in a productive manner. Previous research has estimated that the economic costs of the epidemic are roughly $1 Trillion per year. If this trend continues, our national security and prosperity may be compromised considerably in the long-term. Because the destruction caused by this epidemic in recent years is unrivaled, and the BidenHarris Administration is determined to take unprecedented steps. There is a complex interplay between the availability of drugs in the United States and their use. Our Strategy will focus on two critical drivers of the overdose epidemic: untreated addiction and drug trafficking profits. We are changing how we help people when it comes to drug use, by meeting them where they are with high-impact harm reduction services and removing barriers to effective treatment for addiction, while addressing the underlying factors that lead to substance use disorder head on. We are also striking drug trafficking organizations where it hurts them the most, in their wallets, by disrupting the operating capital they need to sustain their criminal enterprise. We need to apply both elements of this approach together, so we can disrupt the trafficking of drugs into the United States while allowing our historic investments in public health interventions to take hold. If it is easier to get illicit drugs in America than it is to get treatment, we will never bend the curve. « « « « « « NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY 7 We can change this. We can make sure people get the help they need while also making our communities safer. President Biden’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy lays out our plans to achieve just that. It is based on the best science, evidence, and data available, and strives to usher in a new era of drug policy centered on individuals and communities. As a Nation we must consider the legacy we are leaving behind for future generations. When it comes to drug policy, the Biden-Harris Administration is determined that our legacy will be healthier people and safer communities. This means building a better addiction infrastructure for preventing and treating substance use disorder, supporting recovery, and embracing evidencebased harm reduction strategies that keep people alive. This means building a better way of addressing addiction in the criminal justice system, reducing crime and making our communities safer while also making sure people get the help they need. And this means reducing the supply of illicit substances entering our communities. Every time one of our law enforcement professionals seizes illicit fentanyl, cocaine, or methamphetamine, they are helping to save lives and are cutting into the profits of the criminal organizations that fuel violence, breed corruption, and destabilize our partner nations, which makes our country and the world safer. Our mandate from President Biden is clear: Reduce the number of drug overdose deaths, put quality public health services within reach for people with substance use disorder, and stop the drug trafficking organizations that seek profits by harming Americans. Working 

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