Kellyanne Conway: The President's Plan To Fight Opioid Epidemic Will Not Tie Hands Of Doctors

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Kellyanne Conway was on The Rich Zeoli Show on 1210AM WPHT to discuss the measures the Trump administration will take to combat the opioid crisis.

"This truly is the crisis next door," said the Counselor to President Donald Trump. "Every state is involved, every demographic group has been touched. In 2016, Pennsylvania had the fourth highest drug overdose death rate in the country."

Conway continued, "Whats tricky about the opioid crisis is that it often begins in our medicine cabinets, and that tiny bottle is very misleading because it bears the family doctor and the local pharmacy on its label and people know that drug was prescribed to help someone. But it wasn't prescribed for you and it wasn't prescribed for indefinite use. And this is gateway drug for heroin, meth and cocaine."

When asked if the proposed opioid policy would tie the hands of doctors with regards to prescribing pills, Conway said "No, doctors can still prescribe the chronic pain medications for those roughly 28 million Americans that suffer from chronic pain. We want to work with pharmacists and physicians and medical schools to make sure the prescribing protocols are in the curriculum."