What Policy Changes Could Help Save Lives from Illicit Synthetic Opioids Overdose?

by Karen Tandy, David Trone, D. L. McNeal, Rahul Gupta, Bryce Pardo, David Luckey, K. Jack Riley

In this recording of a July 2022 virtual event, experts discuss the findings from the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking Final Report, and recommendations to reduce lives lost to illicit synthetic opioids. The Commission was established under Section 7221 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 and was charged with examining aspects of the synthetic opioid threat to the United States.

The keynote presentation was given by Congressman David Trone, Commission Co-Chair. Other speakers included the Honorable Karen Tandy, former Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration; the Honorable D.L. McNeal, former Special Assistant to Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia and China Country Director; Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP); and Bryce Pardo and David Luckey, principal investigators. The speakers are introduced by Jack Riley, vice president and director, RAND Homeland Security Research Division, and director of the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC).

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