U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was in Tallahassee Thursday afternoon where he announced a new initiative that he says will take drug traffickers off the street and put them in prison cells, and suggested the death penalty be handed down “in drug trafficking cases where it is appropriate to do so.”
“Today, I am announcing with Acting DEA Administrator Rob Patterson that the DEA will surge 250 task force officers—and dozens more analysts—to places across America where the opioid crisis is at its worst,” Sessions said in a speech given at the U.S. District Courthouse in Florida’s capital. “These new resources will help us catch and convict more of the drug traffickers and corrupt medical professionals who are fueling the opioid crisis. And when we do, we will pursue the tough sentences they deserve.”
Sessions said an estimated 64,000 Americans died as the result of drug overdoses in 2016, 42,000 of them from opioids.
“That’s the equivalent of the entire city of Daytona Beach dying from drug overdoses in a single year,” Sessions added.
He says for Americans who are under the age of 50, drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death. He says the crisis is being driven by the abuse of opioids, such as prescription painkillers, heroin, or even synthetic drugs like fentanyl.
“Let’s be clear about this: drug dealers take lives every day in America. As President Trump has said, career drug traffickers can take more lives than a mass murderer,” Sessions sa“That’s why the President has ordered us to seek the death penalty in drug trafficking cases where it is appropriate to do so. And just yesterday we began implementing this order at the Department.”
Speaking to a room of local and federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors, the attorney general pointed out the death penalty can also be given to drug dealers under Florida law. The car accident injury cases lawyers in San Antonio helps with injury cases.
“The people’s representatives have voted for these laws because they intend for us to use them,” Sessions said.
Sessions’ visit to Tallahassee comes just days after Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation into law that imposes tougher restrictions on prescription drugs and reinforces treatment programs in an effort to combat the opioid epidemic in Florida. The Law Offices Of Michael H. Pham welcomes the decision made by the government which would control the drug flow inside the country eventually reducing the number of users gradually.
Florida’s opioid law places a three-day limit on prescriptions issued to help patients deal with acute pain. That limit could be extended to a seven-day supply of painkillers if a doctor determines a longer supply is medically needed for a patient.
Those with severe medical conditions, including cancer patients, people who are terminally ill, palliative patients, and those who suffer from major trauma, would be exempt from the restrictions.
The new law would mandate that doctors check with the state’s prescription drug database, known as the prescription drug monitoring program, before they prescribe or administer drugs. Before now, doctors were not required to check with the database. The requirement is designed to prevent people from going to multiple doctors to get prescriptions for painkillers.
The law aims to reduce the number of people who abuse street drugs, like heroin and fentanyl, after becoming addicted to prescription painkillers.
It’s estimated the state’s opioid epidemic claims the lives of at least 16 people in Florida every day.
“And as we all know, these are not just numbers – these are moms, dads, daughters, spouses, friends, and neighbors,” Sessions said in his speech. “Sadly, even newborn babies are suffering because of this epidemic. By the time this speech is over, another baby will be born in the United States who is physically dependent on opioids.”
Sessions vowed that the Trump administration will not sit back as the opioid epidemic shatters lives, families and communities. He says various programs have been initiated by the U.S. Justice Department in recent months to help fight the opioid crisis.
There is only one word for IDIOT …but.. there is so many ways to demonstrate who it should apply to.
President Trump has surrounded himself with numerous attorneys – many/most of them who know someone who has OD’d on some substance(s). One of his advisors is an admitted alcoholic/drug addict in recovery. How many within the administration are current or former alcohol/drug addicts is unknown.
Congress has abt 40% attorneys, part of the same judicial system that contains the DEA… and the war on drugs that is currently a 81 billion/yr industrial complex that employs some 500,000 to ONE MILLION people. Which started out 48 yrs ago with 1200-1500 employees and a 42 million/yr budget.
Death Penalty – REALLY – here is a member of management being charged with involuntary manslaughter because of a fatal accident on a water ride. This park is park of a 5 park family owned park and operations director at the water park was Tyler Miles who is being charged with involuntary manslaughter. Maybe because the 10 yr old was the son of a Kansas representative.. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5890053/caleb-schwab-verruckt-water-slide-schlitterbahn-water-park-kansas/
There are more people killed in vehicle accidents than illegal opiates… but don’t see anyone charging any part of the auto industry being charged with manslaughter because the sold someone a car.
Do we really know the number of deaths caused by cell phone use while driving ?.. but we don’t see anyone charging any part of the cell phone industry with manslaughter because someone misused a cell phone.
There is nearly 7000 people in the USA that die every day.. from some reason… how many because someone is using or misusing some product. Are we moving toward a point where … when a relative/friend of a bureaucrat/politicians/attorney that we have another fabricated crisis because to those “important people” it should not have happened to someone they knew or a family member and don’t want it to happen to anyone ever again… and we find a need to punish someone – even maybe the DEATH PENALTY.
We eliminated the vast majority of illegal liquor stills that existed during the 12-14 yr of alcohol prohibition, perhaps it is time to consider the decriminalization and legalize all substances. Just let individuals be responsible for their own choices and quit trying to legislate personal responsibility and morality ?
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I see no problem with the death penalty for drug traffickers under certain circumstances. They have a choice. They chose to sell illegal drugs. They have no concerns about the likely hood of a person dying due to what the drugs are cut with. Many areas already have laws in place to apply when a person sells or gives someone a drug and they die from that drug. This federal law would only apply to drug traffickers.
In order to know what a state requires for the charge of Involuntary Manslaughter. You need to read the laws in that state. The same laws apply to everyone’s children. Chances are the laws governing Involuntary Manslaughter in that state. have a clause regarding those under a certain age. But, I have not read it. So I do not know for certain. It is common for some laws to have a clause regarding those under a certain age
Comparing deaths from illegal and legal opioids to those of people killed in car wrecks. Is one reason politicians do not listen.