Memorandum on Addressing Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Use
Issued 2015-10-21 by Barack Obama
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
This memorandum directed federal agencies to take action in response to rising overdose deaths from prescription opioid pain medications and heroin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose deaths involving prescription opioids quadrupled between 1999 and 2013, with more than 16,000 deaths in 2013, while heroin overdose deaths nearly doubled between 2011 and 2013. The CDC identified addiction to prescription pain medication as the strongest risk factor for heroin addiction.
The action primarily affects federal healthcare workers and contractors who prescribe controlled substances. It requires agencies to provide training on appropriate prescribing practices to all federal employees who are healthcare professionals prescribing controlled substances, and to contractors who spend at least half their clinical time working for the federal government and prescribe controlled substances under their federal contracts. This training requirement also extends to clinical residents and trainees.
The memorandum also addresses treatment access, particularly medication-assisted treatment, which combines FDA-approved medications like buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone with counseling and behavioral therapies. The action notes that only a small minority of Americans who might benefit from this treatment are receiving it, and directs federally administered health benefit programs to improve access to these services. Presidential memoranda are a routine administrative tool used by all modern presidents to direct executive branch agencies on implementing policies within existing law.
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
This presidential memorandum ("Memorandum on Addressing Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Use") provides direction to executive branch agencies. The stated purpose: "reduce prescription pain medication and heroin overdose deaths, promote the appropriate and effective prescribing of pain medications, and improve access to treatment, I hereby direct the following: Section 1." Presidential memoranda function similarly to executive orders but are typically more narrow in scope, addressing specific agencies or implementation details. The President's authority to direct executive branch operations is grounded in Article II of the Constitution.
Memoranda are a routine administrative tool. They guide agencies on priorities, interpretation of statutes, and implementation procedures. As long as they operate within the bounds of existing law and respect congressional mandates, they are a standard exercise of presidential power that every modern administration has used.
Official Summary
Administration of Barack Obama, 2015 Memorandum on Addressing Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Use October 21, 2015 Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies Subject: Addressing Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Use By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to reduce prescription pain medication and heroin overdose deaths, promote the appropriate and effective prescribing of pain medications, and improve access to treatment, I hereby direct the following: Section 1. Policy. The epidemic of prescription pain medication and heroin deaths is devastating families and communities across the country. Prescription drugs—especially opioid pain medications—have been implicated increasingly in drug overdose deaths over the last decade. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of overdose deaths involving prescription opioids quadrupled between 1999 and 2013, with more than 16,000 deaths in 2013. In recent years, overdose deaths involving heroin have sharply increased, nearly doubling between 2011 and 2013. The CDC has identified addiction to prescription pain medication as the strongest risk factor for heroin addi