President Donald Trump has long promised to declare the opioid crisis in America a national emergency, freeing up more federal resources to fight the epidemic. Today turned out to the be the day. At the White House this afternoon, the president directed acting Health Secretary Eric Hargan to declare a public health emergency under the Public Health Services Act. The declaration comes with no new money. It does cut some red tape to help more people get treatment and frees up other sources of funding. 

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