>> DAVID NASSER: I hope you’re doing well. I know that we have a lot of guests that don’t
necessarily find themselves as students here at Liberty University. For all of us that are Liberty students, can
we welcome all the guests that are here today? [CHEERS] We’re honored that you’re with us. To us, this is a very important topic not
only worth discussing, but we believe as Christians that we have the solution. We believe that this is not so much about
behavior modification but identity change found in Christ alone. And so we’re honored that we get to have
this dialogue today. I want to begin with prayer, ask God to be
front and center. He is the one who really is the authority
and the one has the answers to every question that we have today. And then President Falwell will come and kind
of give you a little bit more insight. Today we are recording this event, and this
afternoon this event will go live to 190 stations across the United States. And so, you’re going to see onramps and
offramps, students. What we’ll have is Eric Bolling will come
out and be the host for the event. President Falwell and Becki, The First Lady,
several secretaries, and other important guests are going to be a part of this panel town
hall discussion. But we will take commercial breaks, and so
they’ll be anywhere from one minute to two minutes long. When we come on and off you’ll see an “Applause”
sign. Make sure that you know that that’s when
we’re going in and out when it airs tonight. Obviously, that’s when commercial breaks
will be happening. And so, be mindful of that. We’re also going to have a lot of our students
front and center who have questions for our distinguished guests as well. So, let’s pray together, and then President
Falwell will come out and give us some instructions today. (Praying) Father, we thank you for this moment. God, we thank you that we have you. God in this very moment, front and center,
and we know that this is dear to you heart God. This matters to us because this matter to
you. God, I know this is very personal for so many
of our students. Students who have lost a loved one. Students who have seen friends back home struggle
through this, God. And so we pray. We pray that God, that today you would give
us hope, you would give us a strategy. God allow us to find ourselves united in this. And so we pray that this becomes less about
politics, and this becomes less about just posturing, and this really becomes about people,
people that matter to you. And so I pray right now for the mom who’s
watching online. I pray right now God for the student who’s
here looking for answers, that God you would give them some. We pray this in your name, Amen. (End)
Hey, can we put out hands together for our president, President Jerry Falwell everybody? [APPLAUSE] >> JERRY FALWELL: Okay, my voice is getting
a little better every- every twenty minutes or so, but we apologize for cancelling classes
this morning. I know you guys were all upset about that. But- but we-
[CHEERS] We had a good reason. About three months ago Becki and I were up
in Washington. We were at the- in the Trump hotel lobby. And my wife spotted Eric Bolling. She had seen him on T.V. in the past, and
so we went up, introduced ourselves. And it was providential because he was- just
happened to be looking for a place to do the pilot for his new television show on Sinclair
Broadcasting Network. And so he wanted to do it on this issue because
it’s one that’s near and dear to his heart, the opioid addiction. And he just said, “Liberty University is-
if I could choose any place in the world to do it, that’s where I’d want to do it.” And it’s- you know Liberty has been a leader
in a lot of ways that we’ll talk about during the program on that issue. But we- we’re so honored to have the First
Lady here. And the reason she’s here is because Eric,
when we talked about doing this event, he said he wanted to try to set up an interview
with the President or the First Lady in The White House and just show it on video as part
of this presentation. But Becki said, “No, no, let me invite her.” So she texted her, and sure enough, the First
Lady said, “I’ll do it. I’ll do it. I want to be there.” So- but I had already told Becki, “There’s
no point in texting here. She won’t- she won’t come to- she won’t
come to Liberty.” But she did. And so, she had more faith than I did. But anyhow, that’s how it all came about. And so we thought it’d be a great way to
end the semester. And I’m going to go ahead and turn it over
to Eric. Welcome, Eric Bolling to Liberty University. [APPLAUSE] >> ERIC: Thank you, President Falwell. Thank you. >> FALWELL: Honored to have you. >> BOLLING: So, Liberty University, I want
to thank you from my firm family, my family of friends, my family of coworkers, my family
at Liberty, my family in the administration, as President Falwell mentioned. President Trump and Melania Trump have been
very close, very important to me. Look, I didn’t want to be here. I don’t want to be the accidental expert
on opioid and opioid deaths. But if you don’t this story, a little more
than a year ago driving home from dinner with my wife, and my cellphone rang. As a father, you hate that. You just don’t want to have that late night
phone call. And sure enough it was the ultimate- it was
the worse. A young lady names Kayla was crying, saying-
she couldn’t even talk. And I said, “Kayla, is he still alive?” And she said, “No.” My wife spilled out of the car, and I had
to pick her up, and we put her on the sidewalk. Well, the point of this story is we didn’t
see it coming. He was a sophomore at University of Colorado. Great student. Great kid. Talked to him every day. Accidental opioid overdose. Okay, so we will go into all this, but I what
I wanted to do is I wanted to talk to you. We want to get answers. We will get answers. We have an amazing line-up. But we’ll do all this again in just a minute. The show is going to start right now. You’re going to be part of it, so I want
you all involved. This is how we’re going to get answers. We’re going to get you involved and started. Let’s roll an open. [VIDEO] >> NARRATOR: It is a nation-wide crisis impacting
every one of us. Opioids, legal and illegal. They’re addictive and deadly. From the streets of America to the celebrity
spotlight. Demi Lovato’s very public overdose. She was lucky to survive. For others it’s tragic. Eric Bolling lost his son to the synthetic
opioid Fentanyl at his Colorado university. Lives are being lost by the tens of thousands
every year to pain killer abuse and heroin. The financial impact is in the billions. >> PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: This epidemic is
a national health emergency. >> NARRATOR: Opioid issues knife across each
state, endangering every American city, suburb, and
town, all cut deeply by the opioid epidemic. Stand up and fight the opioid crisis now. This is a, “Your voice, your future,”
town hall. “Opioids: A National Crisis.” Now, Eric Bolling. [APPLAUSE] BOLLING: I want to thank you. I want to thank you so much for coming out. It’s a very, very important town hall. Your voice, your future, on opioids. It’s an epidemic that’s sweeping the country. I didn’t want to be here today. This is not what my life goal was. About a year- I’ll get to it very quickly-
about a year ago, a little more than a year ago, my wife and I were driving home from
dinner and we got a phone call on my cell phone. And it was a young lady crying. Her name was Kayla. And I said, “Kayla, what’s up?” And she couldn’t speak. I said- for some reason I went right to, “Is
he still alive?” And she said, “No.” The officer came on the phone and told us. As I was listening to this, my wife heard
this going on. She was in the driver’s seat. She stopped, she spilled onto the roadway. I picked her up, we sat on the curb for two
hours and cried. In the year since that- he was a sophomore. He’s not unlike many- many of you sitting
right here. A good student. Talked to him every day. He’s gone. So in the year and two months since this happened,
I’ve kind of made it my passion to talk to people, to talk to young people, to talk
to families, talk to parents, to talk to coworkers about the dangers of opioids. We’re going to get answers here. The reason why we’re doing it this style,
town hall style and especially at a university is because you have questions. You can watch T.V., you can watch experts
on T.V. all day long. But unless you can ask questions, and you’re
going to have a lot of opportunity for questions, we will answer. Now, we’re very, very fortunate. We have the First Lady of the United Stated
of America here to answer questions and talk to you. That’s unbelievable. We also have Alex Azar, the Health and Human
Services Secretary, Cabinet Secretary Kirstjen Neilson, DHS Secretary as well. It’s going to be a big show. But before we- before further of my blabbing
let’s do something very important. Let’s give a massively warm welcome to,
not only is she First Lady, she’s a mother, she’s a wife. She is just an amazing person. And most importantly for me, she’s a good
friend. First Lady of the United States of America,
Melania Trump. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> MELANIA TRUMP: Thank you. Thank you, Eric. Good morning. I’m honored to be here today. It takes such a strength and grace to take
the grief I know you and Adrienne deal with each day and use the loss of your son Eric
as a catalyst for good. You honor him every day through the lives
that you’re saving. I’m inspired by the work you’re doing
and hope you know that my husband and his entire administration are committed to fight
the opioid epidemic. As the worst drug crisis in American history,
his administration has declared it a public health emergency, and there are several agencies
working alongside the White House to educate and provide services for those effected. I’m proud to be joined today by Secretary
Azar with the Department of Health and Human Services, and Secretary Neilson with the Department
of Homeland Security. Together with all of you, I know we can make
a real difference and save lives. When I took on opioid abuse as one of my pillars
of my initiative “Be Best”, I did it with the goal of helping children of all ages. I have visited several hospitals and facilities
that are dedicated to helping all who have been affected by this disease, including people
who are addicted, babies born addicted, and families coping with addiction of a loved
one. What has struck me with each visit is how
this epidemic has touched so many people, whether it is because of personal use, or
that of family members, friends, coworkers, or neighbors. Opioid addiction is an illness that has truly
taken hold of our country. According to the Center of Disease Control
and Prevention, more than 130 people in the United States die each day due to overdosing
on opioids. In 2017 those overdoses accounted for more
that 72 thousand deaths, more than any previous year on record. And in 2016 an estimated 40 percent of opioid
deaths involved a prescription drug. My focus through “Be Best” has mainly
been a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, which are conditions that occurs when a baby withdraws
from the drugs it was exposed to during pregnancy. But when I was to participate in today’s
town hall I saw it as an opportunity to speak with all of you as you enter into such a critical
stage of your lives. The independence that comes with being a young
adult can be exciting, but also overwhelming. Most of you are living on your own for the
first time, you may be responsible for paying some of your own bills, getting to and from
class every day, managing your homework, and I’m sure many of you also have jobs or extracurricular
activities. And while I bet no one here would want to
admit it, I imagine some of you have or will be experiencing situations with drugs or alcohol. I know college is a time to wield your independence,
experience things on your terms, and make decisions on your own behalf. I’m here to remind you that some of those
decision, though they may seem minor at the time, could negatively impact you for the
rest of your lives. I’m here speaking to you in my official
capacity as First Lady, but I want you to know I’m also here as a mother. But rather than lecture you about the dangers
of drug abuse as most mothers would and should, I’m going to tell you what I have learned
in this past year because I believe education and learning is key to making the right decisions
on your own behalf. I have learned that addiction can begin with
something as innocent as injury. It could be a sports injury or from some kind
of an accident. I have spoken with families and seen many
news reports that talk about young athletes, or people injured in accidents that became
hooked on opioids after being given a prescription for real pain. Tragically, many of those stories end with
people who have later transitioned into using heroin and overdosing. In fact, data from the Department of Health
Human Services shows that in 2016 and 2017 more than 17 thousand deaths were attributed
to overdosing on commonly prescribed drugs. I have learned that many people that become
addicted to drugs are too ashamed to ask for help. I have also learned that addiction is a disease,
and like any illness, people need and deserve treatment. We must commit to removing the stigma of shame
that comes with addiction and helping change public opinion so that people find evidence-based
treatment before it’s too late. I have learned that you have a responsibility
to yourself and also to those around you who may be struggling. While you may never personally become addicted,
the chances of you knowing someone who struggles with it are very high. And if you or someone you know needs help,
you need to be brave enough ask, or strong enough to stand with them as they fight through
the disease. You need to be educated enough to know the
signs of addiction, and also secure enough to talk about it and keep talking about it
until help arrives. Now that you know what I have learned, I want
to close by telling you what I believe. I believe in the power of all of you. If even one of you leaves here today and talks
to a friend or family member about the potential to end this crisis, then we all succeeded. I believe that as our next generation you
have the potential to not just reduce but eliminate the statistics I mention earlier. I also believe you have a capacity to not
think of this terms of statistics but to think of this as a human story, an opportunity to
save lives. I believe in your unending potential to change
our world for the better. I want to once again thank Eric Bolling for
having me here today and to both he and his wife Adrienne for their strength and bravery
in the face of a sudden loss and grief. I look forward to hearing from the rest of
today guests, and also from some of you in the audience today. I also want to thank each of you for taking
the time out of your busy schedules to be here, and of course President Jerry Falwell
and Liberty University for hosting such an important and potentially life-saving event. God bless you all. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you. [APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: Thank you so much for being here,
First Lady. I mean it’s just a- it’s amazing to have
you join this opioid fight. I want to get to some of the initiatives that
you’re talking about, but I need to tell this story very quickly. As I said, September 8 of 2017 we got that-
that phone call about 10:30 at night. The next morning we flew to Colorado, University
of Colorado where was my son was going to school. And the phone rang when I’m sitting with
our family doctor there. And it was President Trump calling, and he
was with Melania Trump, the First Lady. And he said, “I can’t imagine what you’re
going through, but whatever you need we’ll- we’ll take care of it.” I was in such a state I couldn’t even really
understand what was going on. About- it was about I guess a month or so
later, it was Thanksgiving and the phone rang again as we’re about to go sit down at that
Thanksgiving table with the empty chair, the proverbial empty chair. And I knew it was going to be a disaster. We were- the family had tears already. Phone rings again and it’s President Trump
who says, “I’m standing here with my wife Melania, and we just want to let you know
we’re thinking about you on our holiday.” And so at that moment, I realized how much
empathy and compassion you have for this struggle, for this fight. So I want to thank you. Can we give a great big round of applause
for the First Lady on that? Thank you for that empathy. [APPLAUSE] So, just so you know, this is something that
means a lot to the First Family. It really does. So can we talk a little bit about how opioids
became one of your signature initiatives? >> TRUMP: Well, there’re- I have three pillars
in my “Be Best” initiatives. And one of them is opioid addiction. And I think it’s very important that we
educate the next generation. Here you are. And, very important we educated them and tell
them how dangerous the drugs are and can be. And that it really can mess you up for the
rest of your life. >> BOLLING: Who else- so you initially had
said that you were- you were reaching out to families of children addicted- born addicted
to opioids, but I’ve noticed you visit some hospitals with young people addicted as well. What have you learned in this few weeks or
few months that you’ve been really concentrating on opioids? >> TRUMP: I visited many hospitals and facilities
that young mothers have a baby with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. And I learned a lot. And we need to be here for them to help them
and give them the treatment. And once I was there I met with so many families
that they lost children, and they are opioid addicted but themselves, and they need help. I am here to shine the light and to talk about
it. And I hope we could end this terrible epidemic
that it going now in United States. >> BOLLING: You know, I did a speech at CPAC
last year, and I was- after the speech, I was in the hallway and I was inundated with
young people. Not so much older people, but young people
who came up and told their story. “My- I’m worried about my brother,”
or, “My best friend passed away,” or, “I’ve been clean for 5 or 6 months and
I’m not sure if I’m going to make it.” I’m shocked, and are you as shocked, and
is the President as shocked at how many- you know, how focused it is on younger generation
who is being affected and afflicted by the opioid crisis? >> TRUMP: Yes, because I think it’s- nowadays
it’s much easier to get the drugs. And they prescribe sometimes too many drugs
at once. And you could see also some time, you know,
it’s a black market. And it’s very dangerous. >> BOLLING: Yeah, many, many, many prongs-
many tentacles to that- that opioid octopus. Well, allow me to pivot a little bit. The media- this is a very important issue-
topic, the opioids. How has the media treated you with respect
to this? >> TRUMP: Well I would like that they focus
more on what we are doing and what we want to achieve and spread awareness. It’s very important for our whole country
and for the whole world. >> BOLLING: Yeah, and this is something this
it- that would- that potentially could save thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of
thousands of lives just by you showing up and having this discussion with these young
people, creating awareness. Yet it seems like you don’t get the credit
that other first ladies may get. Look, listen, I think you could be one of
the most influential First Ladies maybe since Nancy Reagan. So this is a really important step. Do you get the credit in the media? >> TRUMP: Well they would like to portray
different stories and focus on different unimportant stuff really. And I’m here to shine the light on important
stuff and talk about the thing that I can help the next generation, our children. And to grow up in young adults and later to
adults and be responsible in their own lives. >> BOLLING: Let me point something out, and
not a lot- yeah, yeah. [APPLAUSE] >> So- so here you are talking about opioids
feasibly to several million people, not just here but also it’ll be broadcasted through
the Sinclair system, talking about opioids and getting the message out. And what is the media- I’m telling you,
I can’t believe this. What are they hung up on with the First Lady
right now? The red Christmas trees in The White House. Now, I will tell you on the flight over here
my wife said, “I want a red Christmas tree in my house now too.” Are we kidding? It’s- this is what they worry about when
lives could be saved? >> TRUMP: We are in 21st Century and everybody
has a different taste. I think they look fantastic. [LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE] I hope everybody will come over and visit
it. In real life, they look very beautiful, and
you’re all very welcome to visit the White House, the people’s house. [CHEER AND APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: See that? See that? Everyone’s invited. The people’s house. So, you know my story with my wife and the
loss of our beloved Eric Chase. You’re mom to Barron. Do you have this discussion with him? Is he- is he at the age that you do this? >> TRUMP: I discuss with him. I teach him what is right, what is wrong. And I will always tell him the dangers- that
drugs, they can be very dangerous, and they could mess up your mind and body. And to love yourself more than you love drugs. >> BOLLING: Very good, that’s a very good
point. Will he- what does he respond- like when that
interaction happens, how does he- how does he respond to you? >> TRUMP: You know, he’s that age that sometime
you feel the children they don’t listen, but they listen. >> BOLLING: Yeah. >> TRUMP: They remember everything of what
you tell them because I could hear it from his friends and people that I meet when he
talks to them. He is very aware, and I hope he follows what
I teach him. >> BOLLING: So- so that brings you to- brings
me to one of the other, let’s call it pillars or prongs of your- of your- of your initiative,
which would be social media and bullying. How do you handle that? Where- where are you on that scale of- do
you- do you- do you monitor what he’s doing on social media? Do you know, get involved? You know, as a parent, I recall this, there’s
a delicate balance between not wanting to be too overbearing as a parent, but also not
wanting to close your eyes to some dangers. >> TRUMP: He doesn’t have a social media
yet; he’s not interested in it. He’s all into sports. So, he’s a great athlete. I- I teach him to be responsible and treat-
treat people with respect and kindness. And that’s very important for me. And I know when I stated with “Be Best”
and with social media initiative, that I will be criticized. But I will do what- what is right for the
next generation and be focused on helping, how to use it, and how much to use the social
media. That’s very important for me so the next
generation can be respectful and kind. >> BOLLING: You listening? >> TRUMP: And also sometimes you need to fight
back. I’m sorry. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: Are you listening? All right. They want me to go to some audience questions,
but I have to ask these first. I got to ask the First Lady, we all want to
know. So a typical night in The White House, President
Trump with his work for the day. He comes down. You turn on the T.V. and sit around and just
watch some T.V. together? What’s that night like? What’s the White House like at night? >> TRUMP: We are- we are very, very busy. We have our own schedules. I’m very busy, he’s very busy. In the evening we get together, try to have
a dinner together. And just talk what’s happened through the
day, and then go on with the schedule that we need to do. When you’re First Lady it’s no free time. >> BOLLING: So- so, no free time? Well that’s- that was my next questions. You have a staff of chefs and people who are
preparing meals for your family. Do you ever say, “Hey, you got the night
off. Let me get in there and get my hands dirty.” You know, maybe make a casserole or something? [LAUGHTER] >> TRUMP: Um, not really, but- [LAUGHTER] We can do that maybe in the future when I’m
a little bit less busy. >> BOLLING: Second term. We’ll do that in second term, right? [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
One question I have to ask you if you were to write an autobiography, what’s it about? What’s it titled, what’s it about? >> TRUMP: I don’t have a title yet. I didn’t even think about it. I just think I could have many books, what’s
going on in my life. [LAUGHTER] Um, so I don’t have-
I don’t think that about yet. I want to be focused on what I can do and
help the people of United States and around the world. And that is my priority. [APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: Very good, very good. Okay, let’s get some questions. Your questions. Your future, your questions, right? First question is from Mary Alice- oh, okay
it’s not Mary Alice. Are you Christian? >> CHRISTIAN: Yes, sir. >> BOLLING: First question will be from Christian. Go ahead, Christian. >> CHRISTIAN: Hi, Madam First Lady. Thank you so much for coming today. You touched on speaking with Barron about
opioid addiction as a mother yourself, and in leading example to countless mothers in
the country. What kind of advice would you give to other
moms in the way that they should approach a conversation with their kids about opioid
addiction? >> TRUMP: I think the education is the most
important, and talk with the children and see what’s going on in their life, who their
friends are. Very important to stay on top of them so they
don’t go in the- in the wrong direction. That can happen very, very quickly. >> BOLLING: Mmhm. Okay, we’ll take another audience question. Is this Alex? >> MIC HOLDER: Yes it is. >> BOLLING: Go ahead, Alex. >> ALEX: Thank you so much for being here
today, my name is Alex. You’ve been quoted saying, “If you’re
fighting addiction, you should not be ashamed.” What are some other ways we can show compassion
to those that are fighting drug addiction? >> TRUMP: We need support- we need to support
people who are addicted, and to get rid of stigma that comes with opioid addiction. We need to be there for them, we need to support
them, and talk to them, of course, to get professional help as well. To encourage them and see in themselves their
positive character and what they could do with themselves in positive ways. But to be there for them, and love them whenever
they need you. >> BOLLING: Okay, Mary Alice has a question. >> MARY ALICE: Thank you so much for coming
to speak to us. My name is Mary Alice and my question is,
why did you first choose to focus on the issue of opioid abuse, specifically babies that
are born addicted? >> TRUMP: We need to educate and teach young
mothers how dangerous the drugs are. While you’re pregnant, and if you use drugs,
your baby could be born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. And it’s a lot of challenges later on when
they grow up. So education, very important to young woman,
to young men, so they know later in life how to handle it. >> BOLLING: Great questions and I think one
of the most important things we have going on here is creating awareness and removing
this stigma of opioid action, and use and abuse. And I think because we have the First Lady
here, we’re going to really, really start to remove that stigma and save some lives. We’re fortunate because the First Lady’s
sticking around and we have a lot more coming up. Don’t go away. [VIDEO] >> ANNOUNCER: Don’t go away. More with the First Lady and Homeland Security
Secretary Kirstjen Neilson, along with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on
“Opioids: A National Crisis” at Liberty University. [END] [VIDEO] >> NARR.: We were designed to be creative. We were meant to seek the truth, to explore
the world around us. Challenges? We embrace them. Compromise? Never. We are a community dedicated to championing
the gospel. We are Champions for Christ. [APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: All right, we’re welcoming back
First Lady Melania Trump. Thank you so much for staying with us for
another segment. We have Alex Azar, the Health and Human Services
Cabinet Secretary. We have Kirstjen Neilson, the Department of
Homeland Security Cabinet Secretary. Where in the world do you get the First Lady
and two Cabinet Secretaries in one stage- on one stage, fight one issue? This is amazing. Can we have a big round of applause for these
guys? [APPLAUSE] Thank you, thank you all. Quick story- quick story. When we talked about doing this opioid event
here at Liberty University, I said to Jerry Falwell and Becki- I said, “Would you mind
if I invited the First Lady?” And they said that’d be phenomenal. I made one phone call guys, one phone call. And she was gracious- the First Lady was gracious
enough to say yes. Absolutely got involved. I made one phone call, HHS Secretary said,
“Yes, I want to get involved.” I made one phone call, DHS said, “Yes, I
want to get involved.” This is a crisis that these people truly,
truly do care about. Mr. Secretary, let’s talk a little bit about-
you come from a pharmaceutical background. Talk to us a little bit about what the First
Lady mentioned of over prescribing availability of opioids on the U.S. market. >> SEC. ALEX AZAR: Well this is- this is one of the
things I want to make sure all of you who are here today and who are in the audience
know is just as the First Lady said, how easy it is to become addicted to opioids. You may have an image of in your head of somebody
like in the 1970’s image of opioid addiction. Thant’s not what we’re dealing with today. The majority of people who become addicted
to opioids today were prescribed a legal painkiller for wisdom teeth, for a knee surgery, something
like that. And they were prescribed too many, or they
took too many. They became addicted for reasons we don’t
understand. Somebody may take 9 days of them and become
addicted, and another person is perfectly fine. And we don’t know why that is. You’ve got to be extremely careful. You’ve got to seek help if you see yourself
or a loved one getting into that situation because that’s how folks are getting into
this trap. It’s through these legal opioids initially. The great news is under the President’s
leadership since January of 2017 legal opioid prescribing is down over 23 percent and the-
what we call Morphine Milligram Equivalence is down 28 percent. >> BOLLING: Can you- can you expand on that
a little bit? How does that work? >> AZAR: So it just- what it means is fewer
of these pills are getting prescribed by doctors now. Fewer of those pills getting prescribed means
fewer of you are going to have the chance to become trapped in this cycle of addiction. And so that’s a huge accomplishment. The President committed that by the end of
his term we’d reduce that by a third, and he’s already delivered 23 percent reduction. >> BOLLING: So- so one of the other issues
that I think is very- very important in tackling this epidemic is not only the availability
but the awareness side as well. Now, talk to us. There’s a- I was at a bill signing with
the First Lady and the President where 6 billion dollars was appropriated for, among other
things, awareness. How are you getting the word out on awareness
on recovery and addiction help? >> AZAR: So we’ve got ads out - I hope you’ve
seen them - that frankly ought to scare you about the risks of opioid addiction, the risks
of how you could fall into this trap. The other thing that we’re trying to make
sure folks understand, the First Lady said this in her remarks, is to get rid of the
stigma around opioid addiction. This addiction is not a moral failing. It is a medical issue, and there are medical
ways that we can help bring you out of it. And it might even be a lifetime of recovery,
but there are ways we can help you. And so it’s getting the word out there that
medication assisted treatment and other forms of therapy are ways that we can help you recover. They’re available, you just need to seek
the help. >> BOLLING: All right, very good. Madam Secretary, talk to us a little bit about-
you know, so you’re in Department of Homeland Security, involved in the border. There are a lot of illegal drugs, illicit
drugs coming across the border - for me, close to home, Fentanyl. Fentanyl is what killed my son. Coming from China, likely a lot of it comes
from a southern border. What are we doing to stop that? >> SEC. KIRSTJEN NEILSON: Yes, at first I just want
to thank you all for being here. I want to thank Liberty University for hosting
us. It’s amazing, and President Falwell and
Eric, thank you for pulling all of us together for this very important conversation. At DHS we’re trying to prevent all of the
illicit opioids from getting into the country. So we do that at the source with agreements,
with our international allies. We do that at the border. We do that at sea with the Coast Guard. We do that at the border with Customs and
Border Protection. And we do that at the airports with the Transportation
Security Administration. What Eric mentioned, unfortunately, is the
most difficult part to get at perhaps, which is that much of the Fentanyl is still coming
from China through the mail. So the President under his leadership signed
legislation with the STOP Act, which for the first time will give every mail carrier, the
U.S. post office included, the ability to prescreen international shipments so without
the Department of Homeland Security can identify the illicit drugs. So we are making progress. To give you a perspective, about a pound of
Fentanyl can cause 150 thousand deaths. That’s how fatal Fentanyl is. So at the Department of Homeland Security,
under the president, we went from interdicting about 440 pounds at the border. We’re now well over 1700. The Coast Guard brings in tons of opioids
every time the come back to port. And then at the mail facilities, we have all
of our canine teams trained. Canines are actually quite good at detecting
Fentanyl. And so every single location where we sort
mail has a team of dogs there that are there to protect you from opioids coming into our
country. >> BOLLING: First Lady, do you- are you shocked
by the- the amount of interest and the money that being, you know, the assets that are
being thrown at this? I mean, I think is the first time in history
any administration spent this amount of time, money, and focus on something so deadly. By the way, can we agree that this is the
worst national health crisis in the history of America? >> TRUMP: Yes it is the worst crisis. And I think in the past years we didn’t
talk much about it. And it came so far that now we really need
to step it- step up. >> BOLLING: Secretary, 133 people per day
die of a drug overdose, primarily Fentanyl- or opioids, I’m sorry. That’s like flying a 737 into a mountain
every single day and everyone on board dying, and the focus on mostly young people. Tell- can you give us an idea of the breakdown
on who are- who are the overdosing people. What’s the demographic? >> AZAR: Well, the demographic is everybody. We’ve got about 12 thousand in this arena
right now. I hate to say it, but here in Lynchburg, that
means one person would die of opioid overdose in this room every year. One person here will die every year in this
group. So 133 Americans die every single day of opioid
overdose. Now, largely it’s Fentanyl. What happens is, somebody, get trapped in
the cycle of addiction from a legal opioid. They get cut off eventually. They then switch to street illegal opioids. Street heroin, street Fentanyl. They may switch to cocaine. They’ll then eventually get somehow a Fentanyl
in their heroin, Fentanyl in their cocaine, Fentanyl in a street anti-depressant, or something
like that. >> BOLLING: Or Xanax in the case of my son. >> AZAR: Or Xanax, exactly, or Xanax. Fentanyl in a street Xanax. And that’s the overdose. And sometimes tragically what’ll happen
is they’ll go into recovery and they’ll get clean, and they’ll come out and they’ll
relapse into using opioids again. But their body has lost the tolerance, but
they go back to using the level of opioid they were using before they went into treatment
and they die from overdose from that. That’s why it’s been so important that
we’ve gotten overdose-reducing drugs out there. Over 250 percent increase in the supply of
opioid-reducing drugs out on the street in first responders and elsewhere distributed
to colleges. >> BOLLING: Narcan. Narcan is a life saver guys. >> AZAR: Exactly. >> BOLLING: Secretary, the- there’s a big
concern among the public, people I speak to, that yes you’re doing what you need to do
at the U.S. Postal Service, but what about the others? What about FedEx, what about UPS, what about
the other private carries that in the past may have been carrying drugs, even if they
didn’t know it. Knowingly or unknowingly, what are you doing
to stop some of that? >> NEILSON: Yes, we usually have something
at the department called The National Targeting Center. And what we do there is we gather as much
information as we can about shipments, cargo shipments, mail shipments, in advance from
our international partners or the shippers themselves. And then that helps us target patterns that
seen off, right, that cause us to question what is in the package. Who is it being sent to? For example, if we see a tremendous amount
of packages suddenly going from one location in China to a very small town in rural America,
there’s a question there what could be in the packages. So it helps us to target and understand. I would also say under the leadership of the
President and the First Lady we have for the first time an agreement with China to being
to get the advanced information from China. >> BOLLING: Are they working with us? >> NEILSON: They are. They can do more. The President is working with them to assure
that they do more. But this is the first time that they’ve
agreed to provide that advanced information so that we can target better and understand
what’s in the packages. >> BOLLING: I understand that the President
didn’t negotiate a tariff on the heels on working what’s on their Fentanyl production. Alright, let’s take a couple of questions
from our awesome student body audience here. It’s town hall, after all. Can you tell us your name? >> ALANA RIVERA: Hi, my name is Alana Rivera. Thank you for being here with us this morning. This topic is really close to my heart because
my grandfather was a heroin addict for 12 years, and he went through a lot of different
programs and never found help until he came through a faith based program. And from that transformation, he decided to
start another one and has helped over 20 thousand people in the last 50 years. But we’ve seen administration change so
much over the last 50 years where some people have been- >> BOLLING: Okay. >> ALANA: Yeah, sorry. >> BOLLING: The question is? >> ALANA: Oh, the question is, is there anything
that we can do as faith-based programs to get better partnership with the government? >> BOLLING: You want to take that, Secretary? >> AZAR: Sure. Alana, thank you for what you and your grandfather
do to help people who need recovery. This President is deeply committed to the
role of faith-based organizations, not just in the opioid crisis but throughout how we
deliver services to our people. And for instance, in 2018 we are putting out
$2 billion of grants for the opioid crisis. $1 billion can be used by states and given
to faith-based organizations like yours to help deliver recovery treatment. [APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: Right, great. Take one more audience question if I can. What’s your name? >> DEREK: My name is Derek. Good morning Secretary Azar for being here. My question is, so if I have a family member
or a friend who is struggling with opioids, and often their first question to getting
help is, “I might go to jail,” what are some resources and some ways that I can actually
help them? >> AZAR: Well, first I would say- I would
ask President Falwell to confirm this, but my understanding is here at Liberty you basically
have the ability to come forward and self-report without any fear of discipline if you feel
that you’re at risk from alcohol or drug addiction. And so that would be a step one is seeking
out any administrator here at Liberty, and they’ll protect your privacy and get into
recovery. The other is if you’ve got a friend of colleague
and you need help, 1-8000-662-HELP, H-E-L-P, is the substance abuse hotline that we have
at HHS and we can direct you to local treatment and recovery services in your area. >> BOLLING: Yeah, I think we have the number
up, and you can certainly- you can certainly access that. I want to just point something out, that no
town is exempt, no city, no state, no municipality is exempt from the opioid crisis. We have Christine Frazao who’s the national
correspondent for Sinclair talking about exactly how these opioids are touching your home town. [VIDEO] >> WOMAN: Can you help me out? >> MAN (O.S.): Yeah. >> WOMAN: Thank you. >> CHRISTINE FRAZAO (V.O.): From Seattle,
Washington, to Youngstown, Ohio, to Providence, Rhode Island, and just about everywhere in
between. It is a crisis that has gripped the nation. Images like this an imprint alongside numbers
that still seem unbelievable. Of the more that 72 thousand who dies of drug
overdoses in 2017, a majority were cause by opioids. No region or age group untouched. >> DR. TERESA CLAWSON: We typically will have somewhere
between 3 and 5 babies in the NICU on a daily basis. On a daily basis, they’re being treated
for withdrawal. >> SEN. GARY PETERS: I think every family knows someone
who is- had been impacted by this. >> FRAZAO (V.O.): Our nation’s veterans
also hit especially hard. >> ROBERT WILKIE: That’s because our veterans
come to us after a lifetime of wear and tear. It’s very easy to walk in- or has been – and
just say, “I’ve got these war wounds, I have training wounds that continue to give
me pain.” >> FRAZAO: A national epidemic catching Washington
off guard. Last month President Trump did sign sweeping
opioid legislation, which included more money for treatment, expanded access to Naloxone,
and the lifting of some restrictions for Medicare and Medicaid patients. >> REP. GREG WALDEN: The more I got around my district
the more I heard from families, the more I heard from providers, the more I heard from
law enforcement of the growing- explosive growth in this problem. And we had to do something about it. >> SEN. SHERROD BROWN: Communities don’t have the
ability to scale up their treatment programs because State Government has turned its back
and the Federal Government has been too little, too late. >> FRAZAO (V.O.): Senator Sherrod Brown serves
Ohio where the country surround Dayton has this year seen a more than 50 percent decrease
in accidental opioid overdose deaths. >> OFFICER: We don’t get near the amount
of overdose calls as we used to. >> FRAZAO (V.O.): The numbers nationwide seem
to be leveling out as well with hope the changes to the law, including demands for much smaller
and better regulated opioid-based prescriptions will be the first step to remedying this deadly
disease. In Washing ting, I’m Christine Frazao. [APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: All right, thank you very much
from Christine. If we can- if we can welcome Becki and Jerry
Falwell and Pastor Nasser. They wanted to say thank you very much, First
Lady. >> BOLLING (V.O.): Don’t go away, we’ll
talk with President Falwell on “Opioids: A National Crisis” at Liberty University. [VIDEO] [END] [APPLAUSE AND CHEERS] >> BOLLING: Well welcome back. We are honored to be here at Liberty University
because I was- had the very good fortune of bumping into these two fine people. President Jerry Falwell and Becki Falwell,
thank you very much and inviting us and being such gracious hosts. Jerry, you want to tell us- the audience about
how this all came about, this-this-this moment we had? >> J. FALWELL: It was several months ago,
I can't remember the event, but we were at the Trump Hotel. And Becki spotted you in the crowd, and from
seeing you on T.V. in the past. And she- we went and introduced ourselves
and just mentioned that we’d love to have you at Liberty University to visit. You just happened to be looking for a place
to do your pilot for your new T.V. show and you commented right off the bat that this
is where you’d like to do your first show. And so it was- it was meant to be, I think. >> BOLLING: Yeah, I was- I was surprised at
what an amazing crowd you have here. Becki, you approached me first. I think you said, “I’m Becki Falwell. And my husband’s right over there.” I’m like, “Oh my gosh, I know you guys
so- for a long time.” You’re friends with the Trumps. Yeah. >> BECKI FALWELL: Yes, yes. We both’ve been friends with them for a
long time. And when we saw you I said, “We’d love
to have you at Liberty University.” And you were very interested, and we put you
in touch with David Nasser and it all worked out. It was definitely a God thing, I think. The whole thing. >> BOLLING: So- so- so let me switch this
a little bit. Now, you’re parents. You also run a college with a lot of young
people as well. Talk to us a little bit how opioids and how
this affected your family. Becki, you want to start? >> B. FALWELL: Yeah, as a mother I just want
to talk to the students. I want to talk to you right here. Your parents want you more than they would
be upset if you come to them. A lot of students have been asking, “What
do we do if I have this problem? I’m afraid to go to my parents.” Trust me, as a mom, I’d rather my child
tell me, “I have this problem. I need help, Mom or Dad.” And don’t worry about losing- getting grounded
or losing your car, or losing any privileges. Your parents would rather have you for the
rest of their lives than- than be embarrassed or be ashamed of a problem. You just have to go straight to them and trust
them. Your parents love you. And I just feel for Eric and what he’s been
going through since this tragedy. And I know he wished his son had told him
he had a problem, and maybe he’d still be here. >> BOLLING: Yeah. >> B. FALWELL: And we just really pray for
you. That’s what we need to do and pray for Eric
and his wife, and all the other families that this has affected. This has effected so many. Like, I bet every one of you know somebody
that’s passed in this situation. So- >> BOLLING: Yeah. And Jessy, are you surprised at the wide-spread
epidemic that it’s become? >> J. FALWELL: Well, I think it’s a threat
to the future- future of our country. It’s- you know, there were bad trade deals
done in the past in the 90s and 80s. And that made 70 thousand factories leave
the United States. All those jobs. Then the drugs came in. The people had no place to work, time on their
hands. Now I hear from employers all the time that
they can't find employees who can pass a drug test. And so we’ve got all these, now that President
Trump has revitalized the economy, jobs are back. They’re having trouble filling the jobs. >> BOLLING: Let me ask you, are opioids an
issue on this campus? It’s wide-spread by the way. >> J. FALWELL: I talked to our Chief of Police
last night, and he said he could only remember one overdose death on- at Liberty in the resident
program in the last 15, 20 years. But we have 85, 90 thousand online students
and there’s no way to know how many of them have been impacted. And it’s a- David Siegal is here today with
Mark Waldrop and David’s family. David owns Westgate Resorts. It’s timeshares all over the country. He spoke here a few years ago and because
his daughter had the same thing happened to her that happened to your son. And he- he begged Liberty to stock up with
Naloxone. And so we did, we stocked. All of our key personal have access to it-
instant access to it so that if there is an overdose we can treat it. And he’s also going to other colleges. He spent the last few years trying to convince
all universities to stock up on that drug because that one- having that available often
times is the difference between life and death. But he’s met resistance at many universities. I don’t know why. And so we- we’re hoping that- >> BOLLING: Is it price? Is it cost? >> J. FALWELL: No, it’s bureaucracy. It’s just- you know, Liberty we run more
like a business, so if I decide we’re going to do something we do it. Most universities- [LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: Wait, wait, does that sound familiar? Someone else I know has that- that- it seems
to be working for the country too. [LAUGHTER] >> J. FALWELL: I mean, if I decide we need
a new building right over here, they start work next week. But-but the- [LAUGHTER] But most universities have committees and,
you know, it has to approved by 12 committees. And so David Siegal has done a fantastic job
but he’s been frustrated. That- that- I just hope having this event
here today will encourage universities to take- to be proactive like Liberty has been. >> BOLLING: So, let me ask you then, Becki,
you gave advice to parents, or to kids. Advice to other school administrators, high
level administrators what they can do kind of turn- bend that curve of opioid deaths
down. >> B. FALWELL: I think what we- what we do
here, which is different, I think, than most schools, it’s more like a family. Jerry and I are like the father and I’m
mother to all the students, and- >> J. FALWELL: Grandparents. >> B. FALWELL: That’s true. And- [LAUGHTER] >> BOLLING: Yeah, you left that out. >> B. FALWELL: Yeah. Within the dorm we have people. We have leaders that pray with all the students,
and it’s a big community. I think that’s what’s missing in other
schools. And I can't solve that except sent everybody
to Liberty and we’ll keep your kids safe. [LAUGHTER] But- But anyway. >> J. FALWELL: You have to create an atmosphere
where drug use is discouraged not encouraged. And it has to be peer pressure in the right
direction. >> B. FALWELL: What we try to do is keep them
busy with other activities. So, there’s lots- lots to do and lots of
sports and everything. >> J. FALWELL: Make them go to Convo. Keep them- just keep them busy all the time. [LAUGHTER] >> BOLLING: So is it a hard decision to give
the students a couple classes off to come and see the First Lady speak? >> J. FALWELL: It wasn’t hard at all. They didn’t complain a bit about cancelling
classes. [LAUGHTER] >> BOLLING: All right. I want to get through a question or two. Can we do this? You ready? State your name. >> KATHERINE: My name is Katherine. Thank you for making this panel discussion
happen. I continue to have a burden for my friends
and classmates that are struggling with addiction, as I’m sure many students here do too. How can we at Liberty partner and help those
who we are burdened for back home that don’t have the benefits afforded to us here at Liberty? >> BOLLING: Good question. >> J. FALWELL: Yeah. I think- you know, I had experienced in 2006,
I got hit right here in my side in just the right place that it burst my spleen. I lost 60 percent of my blood before they
figured out what was wrong with me. So they did emergency surgery, and that was
the first time I had ever been put on pain killers. I was lucky. I was one of the ones who hated it. From the first time I took, it gave me night
sweats. I’d almost rather have had the pain than
the painkillers. But experts tell me that about 20 to 30 percent
of all people are hooked the first time they take a painkiller, opioid. So with that danger just genetically built
in to so many people, it’s just so important to not use those painkillers unless it’s
just, you know, life or death. It’s just- it- there’s a certain percentage
of people, once they experience that thrill they could never stop wanting them. >> BOLLING: Yeah, and you know- and one of
the problems is that the painkillers are so strong now. I mean, they’ve really upped the potency
of everything, and then you add this Fentanyl which is typically used for really late stage
cancer patients who are in massive pain and aren’t going to make it to reduce some of
that pain. And that’s being mixed into our drug supplies. It’s very dangerous. You know, I talk to a bunch of young people
and I tell them, like my son who took one Xanax, that he shouldn’t have done it, we
agree. But he bought a Xanax pill on campus and it
was laced was Fentanyl. And because it was a knock off it had enough
Fentanyl. It killed him. So one pill can kill. And literally you put something in your mouth,
even though it looks like something you’ve done 100 times before, it might be the last
time you do something. Now, Becki, let me ask you this. That- I also talked to parents and I’m blown
away at how many parents are deathly afraid of their child getting involved in this, yet-
but they’ll tell me, “But I’m not really worried because he’s the captain of the
football team,” or “She’s super popular with her friends,” or “We have a lot of
money. We can handle things like that.” Talk to us about parents- the “not-my-kid”
syndrome. >> B. FALWELL: I just think you can't ignore
it. And you, like you said, you can't think, oh
because my kid is so successful and everything. That also means they have a lot of pressure
on them, and there’s a lot to live up- >> J. FALWELL: Stress. >> B. FALWELL: Lots of stress. A lot to live up to. High school and college is tough. Grades are tough, you could be depressed. You’re away from home, you miss your family. And you just get involved with something and
it’s a spiral. But you just have to reach out to somebody. Reach out to your roommate. You reach out to your friend, and you just
tell them. And hopefully, they can help you out. >> BOLLING: It- it-it- >> B. FALWELL: But it’s like he said, one
pill can kill. >> BOLLING: And guess what, if you’re a
friend of someone, be that friend to that person. And if that person struggling is not getting
help, get help for them. It may be the best thing you do. >> J. FALWELL: My father always- my father
always told us there was nothing we could do that would ever make him stop loving his
kids. >> BOLLING: Right, right. >> J. FALWELL: And most of your parents feel
that way. If they don’t, you need to- you need to
fuss at them. But that- you need to get- parents need to
have that attitude. I’ve always been that way with my kids. But this stuff really is deadly. Sheriff Mike Brown is here today. He’s been the sheriff here, elected sheriff
for 26 years. And he sent me some materials this week. They have to be careful. The police have to be careful. >> BOLLING: Of touching it. >> J. FALLWELL: Because Fentanyl will kill
their canine units. >> BOLLING: They’re- they’re- and- and
they’re both- cops are overdosing it by just touching it. >> J. FALWELL: And if the dogs smell some. >> BOLLING: Guys, I’ve got to- I’ve got
to throw this package. I want you to watch something very important. [VIDEO] >> REPORTER: As singer Demi Lovato continues
on the road to sobriety, her mother Dianna De La Garza is spreading awareness about the
opioid crisis while being candid about the moment Lovato overdosed. >> DIANNA DE LA GARSA: Well it was terrifying. It was just a terrifying thing to have to
go through. We didn’t know if she was going to pull
through or not. >> REPORTER: This time she made a stop in
D.C. with T.V. and radio host Eric Bolling to introduce a new film about the epidemic-
an epidemic which bowling is also no stranger to. >> BOLLING: A little more than a year ago
I lost my son to an accidental opioid overdose. We were driving home and my phone rang. And it was a young man who said, “Call Eric.” Yeah. >> REPORTER: Bolling’s son died while he
was at the University of Colorado after taking a pill. >> BOLLING: A Xanax that he bought on campus
that he thought was prescriptive. It was a Chinese knock off. It had Fentanyl in it. It killed him. >> REPORTER: The two say they are using their
platforms for one purpose. >> DE LA GARSA: It’s not something we can
wait 6 months or a year to get awareness out there. We have to do it now and try to save some
lives, keep some other parents maybe- possibly from having to go through this. >> REPORTER: In the district, Idles Agail. ABC 7 News. [END] >> BOLLING: So Dianna De La Garza is Demi
Lovato’s mom. She was slated to be here. Last night she didn’t get on the airplane. I called here, I texted her. She texted me late- late last night saying,
“I just have personal issues. I apologize. Please apologize to the students and the First
Lady. I can't make it.” And that’s all I got. So listen, all I can say is that’s all I
know. I apologize. She’s not here. She will be at one of our other town halls
coming up, you can watch it. But I’m just praying that everything’s
okay. I don’t know. I literally don’t know. But that leaves you and me together for the
final block of the show. What I really want to do is I want to hear
from you. Let’s get some answers. Let’s figure out what’s’ going on. Tell me what you guys need, and we’ll do
that when we come right back. [APPLAUSE] [VIDEO] [END] [APPLAUSE] >> BOLLING: Alright, we’re back. And as I said we’re- our hearts and prayers
are going out to everything’s okay with the Lovato family. Dianna De La Garza, Demi’s mom was supposed
to be there but she couldn’t- be here, but she couldn’t. So we’ll figure what’s going on there. But in the meantime that give an opportunity
to be a little bit more- an opportunity to talk to you. It’s town hall, this is your life, this
is your future. Your voice, your future, right? So let’s hear your voice. I will answer any question you give me. I might answer it to the liking of you, but
I will try to answer any one. Go ahead, let’s- first one. >> KYLIE: Hi, my name is Kylie. I’m just really appreciative for this conversation
that we’re having today. I lost my mom almost two years ago to an overdose
and my cousin later that year. So it really hits close to home. My question for you is what can we as college
students do to raise awareness about this epidemic? >> BOLLING: Well, I think that- first of all,
God bless. I’m sorry about your loss. And it’s a- it’s a family club we don’t
all want to be in. But here’s what you can do, and I mentioned
it with the Falwell’s, as a friend to someone, if you see someone who may be sliding into
that path or that area of addiction, talk to them. If you can't, if they, her or she, won't get
help you won't- they won't be mad at you for getting them some help. They’re- we need to lift the stigma of opioids,
and that’s really what we need to do. It can't be, “I can't tell on her or him
because they’ll get in trouble.” It’s got to, “I need to get them some
help.” As administrators, as talking heads, as elected
officials, we need to say, “If you have a problem, we’re going to get you help,”
not “We’re going to get you in trouble.” You’re not going to jail. You’re not going to get thrown out of your
job or school. We need to day, “Okay, let’s work through
this together” and we’ll save lives that way. Another question? >> MOLLY BURR: Hi, thank you so much for being
here. My name is Molly Burr, and I’m just wondering
since addiction is classified as a mental illness, do you feel if there was- if government
treatment had a- would have a better impact on this epidemic if had a bigger emphasis
on the treatment of mental illness and less on the physical dependence? >> BOLLING: Yeah. Good question. I’m not really sure where it is, I’m not
a scientist. But I will tell you, one of the pushes- I
do get an opportunity to spend time with President Trump on one-one-one talking about other issues,
but also about the opioid issue. And I said to him, “You’re really killing
it on the enforcement side of getting- pulling drugs and illicit drugs off the market and
putting bad guys away for doing what they’re doing. But I see we need to bump it up a little bit
with exactly what you’re saying. Let’s get people help.” So- and I said to him, “Addicts can't be
seen as criminals, they need to be seen as people who need help.” And I think kind of woke him up a little bit. And so this latest round of funding that they
got I did say Kellyanne Conway say a lot of it’s going to go towards awareness, recovery,
hospital beds. So slowly but surely, you know, we’re making
a difference here folks. There’s going to be millions people who-
who see this episode, this show, this town hall over the next couple of days. Just get the word out. Get the word out that we care. We love you. I love you guys. I would give it all up for 5 more minutes
with my son, but I can't. So don’t put your family in those positions. Let’s get the word out addicts aren’t
bad people, they need help. Bad people are the drug dealers who are on
the street. I’ll tell you a quick story before we go. Some of the drug dealers I’ve come across-
people say that the drug dealers with the drugs that have killed people, they’re the
most popular drug dealers because they have the strongest stuff. I’m like, what world are we living in? We need to change that dialogue. Also, we need to- Jerry mentioned Mr. Siegal
over here. He’s been involved in the drug- it’s called
Narcan. It’s the brand name. It’s an opioid overdose reducing drug. I think if you guys are young people, you
have any influence with parents who are lawmakers, tell them let’s get Narcan on every street
corner, every- every coroner of every school in the country, and every police station. All right, that’s it, guys. I’m going to have to leave it right there. God bless you all. Thank you so much. Your voice, your future. [APPLAUSE]
