DEA Officials to Hold Media Briefing on Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic

Washington, D.C.) – DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart will join Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) for a media briefing on Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 to release a new data analysis revealing the source of abused prescription drugs in America and urge Americans to take advantage of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s upcoming National Take Back Day on Saturday, April 28th.

Administrator Leonhart and Director Kerlikowske will be joined by Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Dr. Ileana Arias, Principal Deputy Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Administration officials will also discuss significant progress being made to combat the Nation’s prescription drug abuse epidemic one year after the release of the Obama Administration’s comprehensive action plan to address the threat. 

The CDC has classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic. Poisoning deaths, primarily driven by drug overdoses, are the leading cause of injury death in the United States. In 2009, deaths from drug overdoses outnumbered deaths from motor vehicle traffic crashes for the first time. 

 

Who:

Michele Leonhart, Administrator, DEA

Gil Kerlikowske, Director, ONDCP 

Dr. Ileana Arias, Principal Deputy Director, CDC

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner, FDA 

     

What:             Pen and Pad Media Briefing on New Prescription Drug Abuse Data

Call in number available upon request

News media must RSVP to MediaInquiry@ondcp.eop.gov

Television and radio interviews available upon request

 

When:             Wednesday April 25th, 10:00 a.m. EDT

           

Where:           Office of National Drug Control Policy

750 17th Street NW - 8th Floor Conference Room    

Washington DC, 20006

 

For more information about the Office of National Drug Control Policy, visit Whitehouse.gov/ONDCP