State officials lament lack of funds to fight opioid scourge

(AP) — Some Delaware officials say they’re underwhelmed by President Donald’s Trump’s emergency declaration regarding the nation’s opioid epidemic.

The News Journal of Wilmington reported Thursday that officials lamented the lack of funding to help address the growing number of fatal overdoses. The state is expected to match or surpass last year’s record of 308 deaths.

Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn said the fine print of the president’s declaration was “underwhelming.”

U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat, said the declaration allows for broader use of grants while easing regulations. But she said it ultimately fails to provide law enforcement and public health officials with the tools needed to tackle the crisis.