President Donald Trump is expected to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency from the White House Thursday afternoon.
Trump declared a national emergency over the opioid epidemic in August. National emergencies are typically declared for short-term crises, such as a natural disaster, and can help unlock more support and resources.
A public health emergency declaration would not come with specific funding, but officials say it could allow expanded access to medical services in rural areas, according to the Associated Press.
Trump has said an emergency designation will give his administration the “power to do things that you can’t do right now.”
Opioid-related deaths among Americans has nearly doubled since 2009, and the number of admissions to intensive care units related to opioid use has gone up by 34%, according to a recent study in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Watch Trump deliver his remarks at 2 p.m. E.T.
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