I don’t know if I should consider this a correction article or just something to laugh at but White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki set the record straight. She said that the ‘Safe Smoking Kits’, that Biden allocated $30 million in taxpayer funds to, does not contain free crack pipes. The overly confident Press Sec told reporters Wednesday that the kit has ‘clean syringes’.
She was so sure of herself that I couldn’t help but laugh. Does she think that’s better somehow?
“HHS just put out a statement clarifying around some of the reports that crack pipes are not going to be part of the safe smoking kits funded by the administration,” Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich asked. “But can you clarify for us, were they never a part of the kit, or were they removed in response to this reporting and this pushback?”
“They were never a part of the kit. It was inaccurate reporting and we wanted to put out information to make that clear,” Psaki responded.
Heinrich then asked Psaki, “What is in the Safe Smoking kit?
“[Safe Smoking Kits] may contain alcohol swabs, lip balm, other materials to promote hygiene and reduce the transmission of diseases like HIV and hepatitis. I would note that what we’re really talking about here is steps we’re taking as a federal government to address the opioid epidemic, which is killing tens of thousands, if not more, Americans every single day, week, month of the year.”
“There was inaccurate information out there,” Psaki continued on the subject of the Washington Free Beacon story. “This policy is focused on harm reduction strategies, including prioritizing the use of fentanyl test strips and clean syringes.”
“These programs are intended to save lives,” Psaki added.
Watch
More Psaki condemning the @FreeBeacon story from @PatrickHauf: "There was inaccurate information out there…This policy is focused on harm reduction strategies, including prioritizing the use of fentanyl test strips and clean syringes…These programs are intended to save lives" pic.twitter.com/qToIEYOrOP
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 9, 2022
“[D]oes the administration support any effort then to distribute drug paraphernalia like the crack pipes we’re hearing about?” Heinrich asked.
“[T]he statement makes clear we don’t support federal funding, direct or indirect for pipes,” Psaki responded.
“What would you say to critics who are concerned that the Biden administration is somehow encouraging illegal drug use?” Heinrich asked in conclusion.
Psaki responded by saying that “we’re losing an American life every five minutes to overdose,” and that we don’t have “time for political games.”
So let’s help speed that up?
“The $30 million grant program, which closed applications Monday and will begin in May, will provide funds to nonprofits and local governments to help make drug use safer for addicts,” reported The Washington Free Beacon on Monday. “Included in the grant, which is overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services, are funds for ‘smoking kits/supplies.’”
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