President Donald Trump says nobody is safe from powerful opioid drugs – even the sniffer dogs tasked with uncovering them.
Trump signed legislation on Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs into the US.
He spoke about the record number of overdoses from the powerful drugs, including fentanyl, and added that they were even dangerous to the sniffer dogs working with authorities to find them.
‘Even dogs die from the scent,’ Trump said. ‘Nobody has ever seen anything like this.’
Trump signed legislation on Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs into the US
It is not clear if there are any recent known cases of sniffer dogs dying from drug-related deaths, but there have been several instances where K-9s have overdosed on powerful opioids.
Law enforcement officers across the country started carrying naloxone with them on drug raids last year to protect their four-legged partners. The drug has already been used for years to reverse overdoses in humans.
Trump signed the bill flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
He described it as a ‘significant step forward’ in the fight against powerful opioids, which he called ‘our new big scourge.’
‘We used to have the ‘Age of Aquarius.’ Everyone thought that was a big drug age. That was nothing compared to this,’ he said, citing a nickname for the 1960s that is perhaps best associated with a song from the musical ‘Hair.’
It is not clear if there are any recent known cases of sniffer dogs dying from drug-related deaths, but there have been several instances where K-9s have overdosed on powerful opioids
Trump signed the bill flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office on Wednesday. He described it as a ‘significant step forward’ in the drug fight
He warned that drug traffickers are ‘using our postal system and they’re killing our people.’
The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists.
Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasn’t dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference.
Trump suggested during his remarks that he’d like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis – but the country’s not ready for what he has in mind.
‘So we’re going to sign this. And it’s a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately it’s not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in,’ he said.
‘And we’re going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but I’m not sure the country’s ready for it yet,’ he added. ‘Does anybody know what I mean? I think so.’
Law enforcement officers across the country started carrying naloxone (above) with them on drug raids last year to protect their four-legged partners