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Director Kerlikowske Delivers Keynote Remarks at NMPI Conference

June 10, 2013 at 2:51 PM ET by ONDCP Staff
Summary: 
On May 7, ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske delivered keynote remarks at the annual Strategy Summit of the National Methamphetamine and Pharmaceuticals Initiative (NMPI) in Charleston, South Carolina.

On May 7, ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske delivered keynote remarks at the annual Strategy Summit of the National Methamphetamine and Pharmaceuticals Initiative (NMPI) in Charleston, South Carolina. In his remarks, Director Kerlikowske highlighted the “Smart on Crime” approach to drug enforcement and recognized the important role law enforcement officers play in implementing a balanced drug control policy.

Following his remarks, the Director was presented with the IMPACT award in recognition of his commitment and leadership in reducing the diversion and abuse of prescription drugs and the production and trafficking of methamphetamine in the United States. The IMPACT Award is presented to individuals whose actions have resulted in a significant impact on the Nation’s methamphetamine or pharmaceutical abuse problems. Recipients are selected by the NMPI’s advisory board, which is composed of local, state, and Federal law enforcement officials and policy makers.

Over the course of 4 days, more than 250 attendees from across the United States, as well as delegations from Canada, Mexico, and China, met at the summit to share information, cultivate contacts with partners at the Federal, state, and local levels, and develop operational strategies and best practices critical to their efforts to seize and prevent clandestine methamphetamine laboratories and disrupt and prosecute prescription drug crimes.

Reflecting the Administration’s balanced approach to drug policy, speakers delivered presentations on such topics as the role of law enforcement and first responders in reversing opiate overdoses with naloxone, working within communities to prevent prescription drug abuse, and treating individuals suffering from addiction. Presenters also provided information on the latest trends in methamphetamine production and trafficking and prescription drug diversion.

The diverse group of attendees included law enforcement officers, public health officials, medical professionals, family welfare advocates, laboratory chemists, and policy makers. The range of expertise and experience created a vibrant environment for an informed discussion and a rich exchange of information about the prescription drug and methamphetamine threats facing the United States.