AG Jeff Sessions In Harrisburg: Nearly $20M Will Be Given To Battle Opioid Epidemic
HARRISBURG, PA (CBS) -- Attorney General Jeff Sessions traveled to the state capital city Friday to announce nearly $20 million dollars in federal grants to battle the opioid crisis.
As mostly Harrisburg area police personnel looked on, Attorney General Jeff Sessions told those in attendance during a speech in the city's federal building that they -- state and local law enforcement -- will have to be at the front lines of the battle against opioid abuse.
"I'm announcing that we will be awarding nearly $20 million in federal grants to help law enforcement and public health agencies," he said.
Sessions called the opioid epidemic "stunning," and said more can and will be done about it.
He says never before has there been a death rate associated with a drug epidemic as there is with this one. But Sessions said he thinks the war against the epidemic is winnable.
He says he believes there are limited illegal sources of prescription opioids, saying there are not that many corrupt doctors, pharmacies and hospitals, and that they will be shut down.