WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's drug commission is calling on him to declare a national emergency to deal with the country's opioid epidemic.
The commission sent an initial report to the Republican president on Monday saying the approximately 142 deaths each day from overdoses means the death toll is "equal to September 11th every three weeks."
The group is led by Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. He says the interim report is meant to give Trump some immediate steps to try to make sure "we stop the death that is happening across the country."
The report includes recommendations to address insurance regulations and assist law enforcement.
The White House says it'll immediately begin reviewing the recommendations.
Christie made fighting drug addiction a cornerstone of his failed 2016 presidential campaign.