Melania Trump: We Need to ‘Get Rid of Stigma that Comes with Opioid Addiction’

First Lady Melania Trump spoke about the need to raise more awareness about the opioid abuse epidemic, including thinking differently about drug addiction.

She said we need to stop stigmatizing addicts in order to better help them.

“The chances of you knowing someone who struggles with it are very high,” Melania said at Liberty University event held to discuss the opioid crisis.

“If you, or someone you know, needs help, you need to be brave enough to ask and strong enough to stand with them as they fight through the disease.”

Step up to help

“We need to support people who are addicted and to get rid of stigma that comes with opioid addiction,” the First Lady said.

Melania Trump isn’t the only First Lady to put drug abuse and related problems front and center. First Lady Nancy Reagan was famous for her “Just Say No” campaign which also made drug abuse a focus.

Mrs. Trump said drug addicts need help, not scorn.

“We need to be there for them and talk to them and of course to get the professional help as well,” Mrs. Trump advised. She said it was important for friends and family of addicts “to be there for them and love them whenever they need you.”

Most experts believe that the opioid crisis is considered one of the worst health developments in the U.S. in recent history. Melania Trump agreed, saying “It is the worst crisis and I think in the past years we didn’t talk much about it…now we really need to step up.”

In October, President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan bill into law that was crafted to fight this problem.

“Together, we are going to end the scourge of drug addiction in America,” President Trump said. “We are going to end it or, at least, make a big dent in this terrible, terrible problem.”