President Clinton Tackles Rx Drug Abuse

It was exciting to see President Clinton today at a summit on Rx drug abuse. He is infamous for making a personal connection with his audience, and he did that today, telling the stories of two young people he knew who had died from mixing prescription drugs with alcohol.

He called on the audience to find a way to intervene to save someone who has taken a lethal dose so that they somehow get the medical intervention they need before they die. He gave us a goal is accomplishing that in 3 years.

Honestly, I was disappointed in his seeming lack of understanding of the bigger picture and the importance of prevention in addressing the problem of drug abuse. Not that there's any simple solution...I guess I just expected a more insightful understanding of the problem and a clearer articulation of the solution from someone who I consider one of the best communicators and one of the best minds of my lifetime. OK, so maybe my expectations were a little too high?

Patrick Kennedy was also there and was smart, clear, and passionate - definitely the highlight of the program, for me.

I wish them all the best as they spend a day tomorrow grappling with solutions.