When President Donald Trump declared America's opioid crisis a national emergency last October, the announcement surprised few in the first responder and medical communities. Police, EMS personnel, and ER staffs have long had front row seats to witness the deadly effects of the drugging of America.
The cause of the emergency has of course been subject to debate. Many believe the over-prescribing of pain-numbing opioid medications is the culprit while others stress restrictions limiting the ability of the Drug Enforcement Administration to regulate and police pharmaceutical manufacturers. As a former FBI assistant director, however, I was surprised to find my colleagues at the DEA under attack from two surprising directions: Capitol Hill and their own Department of Justice. But the issue wasn't opioids; it was marijuana.
