Whitmer, Nessel announce plan to combat opioid epidemic in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel announced plans Tuesday to combat the opioid epidemic in Michigan.

They were joined at a news conference by Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the chief medical executive for the state of Michigan.

• Watch the full news conference above.

In November, Whitmer introduced her plan to reduce opioid deaths that includes improved access to treatment and expanded services. Doctors will also be educated on how to safely prescribe the drugs, and a media campaign will address stigmas surrounding opioid addiction.

“I’m formally setting a goal to reduce the number of opioid deaths by 50 percent in the next five years,” Whitmer said at the time. “This is a crisis that’s hurting families in every community across Michigan.”

Related: University of Michigan teams up with Harvard to host opioid summit in Ypsilanti