Christie: ‘Not good’ that Trump hasn’t set drug emergency

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says “it’s not good” that President Donald Trump has yet to declare the opioid crisis a national emergency.

Trump appointed the Republican governor to chair his opioid commission, whose signature recommendation was an emergency declaration.

Christie said Tuesday the commission’s recommendations are “lessened” without the emergency declaration. But he says it’s too soon to say whether not declaring an emergency has made things worse. He estimates 142 U.S. deaths each day from drug overdoses.

Trump has already said the crisis amounts to an emergency. But the White House says the declaration usually reserved for natural disasters is an “involved process.”

Christie on Tuesday unveiled a series of recommendations from a state commission, including allowing emergency medical technicians to use more of the overdose drug naloxone to treat people overdosing from fentanyl.