Trump’s war on drugs
Tells UN of plan to save ‘millions of lives’
President Trump said nations around the world could save “millions and millions of lives” by fighting the drug scourge that’s spreading to all corners of the globe.
“The call is simple: Reduce drug demand, cut off the supply of illicit drugs, expand treatment and strengthen international cooperation,” the president said Monday in his first remarks of the week at the UN General Assembly.
“If we take these steps together, we can save the lives of countless people in all corners of the world. And when I say countless, I’m talking about millions and millions of people.”
For its part, Trump said the United States — the largest consumer of illegal drugs — was taking “aggressive action” by securing the border, funding programs to battle opioids and promoting treatment and recovery.
The president highlighted a 2018 World Drug Report that said cocaine and opium production had hit record highs, causing a spike in global deaths.
“So in 15 years, [it’s] gone up 60 percent, which is absolutely terrible,” Trump said.
Later, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley said that the president was able to get 130 nations to sign on to his plan to eradicate illegal drugs.
“Drugs are not only an American problem; they are a global problem,” Haley said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked Trump for his role and spoke of his own sister, a drug counselor in Lisbon.
“This is more than a policy issue for me. It is personal,” Guterres said.
Among the countries that did not sign the US drugs pledge was New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern noted that the US was focused on tackling opioids while her nation had other priorities.
“We want to do what works and so we’re using a strong evidence base to do that,” Ardern told reporters on Sunday.
Trump will address the General Assembly’s 193 member nations on Tuesday morning and chair a Security Council meeting on Wednesday, his first time wielding the UN gavel.