Proclamation 9923-Opioid Crisis Awareness Week, 2019
Issued 2019-09-06 by Donald J. Trump
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
President Trump issued this proclamation in September 2019 to designate a week dedicated to raising awareness about the opioid crisis. The proclamation highlights that on average, 130 Americans die every day from opioid overdoses, making drug overdose the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Since the start of the 21st century, the nation has lost nearly as many lives to the opioid crisis as it lost in World War II.
This proclamation does not create new laws or impose legal requirements on anyone. Instead, it serves as a formal statement drawing national attention to the opioid crisis and describing actions already underway. The proclamation references existing efforts including disrupting drug trafficking organizations, seizing dangerous drugs like fentanyl, expanding access to addiction treatment, and implementing public education campaigns aimed at young people. It also mentions new federal funding totaling $1.8 billion in grants to support state and local communities fighting the epidemic.
The proclamation is a ceremonial declaration that falls within the longstanding presidential tradition of issuing awareness proclamations. It affects Americans by bringing public focus to the opioid crisis and emphasizing that addiction should be treated as a medical condition rather than a moral failing. The document notes that provisional data showed overdose deaths declining for the first time since 1990, and that 250,000 more Americans received medication-assisted treatment in 2018 than in 2016.
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
This proclamation designates "Proclamation 9923-Opioid Crisis Awareness Week, 2019" — a ceremonial observance that brings national attention to opioid crisis. Presidents have issued ceremonial proclamations since George Washington, and they fall squarely within the executive tradition. They do not create new law, direct federal spending, or impose legal obligations on citizens.
Ceremonial proclamations like this one are purely declaratory. They express the sentiment of the President on behalf of the nation, drawing public awareness to causes or communities. They require no congressional approval and face no constitutional challenges.
Official Summary
Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2019 Proclamation 9923—Opioid Crisis Awareness Week, 2019 September 6, 2019 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation The opioid crisis has devastated communities across America and has stolen precious lives, leaving families with an unfillable void. During Opioid Crisis Awareness Week, we reaffirm our commitment to ending this terrible crisis and eradicating drug addiction from our society. On average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and opioids are the most common drug used in cases of drug overdose. Since the start of the 21st century, our Nation has lost nearly the same number of lives to the opioid crisis as we lost in World War II. My Administration is taking aggressive action to address this nationwide public health emergency. In 2018, our High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program disrupted or dismantled nearly 3,000 drug trafficking organizations. During that operation, the Department of Justice seized enough fentanyl to kill more than 100,000 Americans out of our communities. Additionally, I released my Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand , w