The Administration’s 2025 Drug Policy Priorities and Sacramento’s Approach

Every day, families in Sacramento County and communities across the U.S. face the heartbreak of addiction and feel the impact of preventable overdose deaths. Our healthcare workers, educators, substance use prevention and treatment staff, and law enforcement officers fight on the front lines of a drug crisis that touches every corner of the country.

In response, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy released a statement outlining the Trump Administration’s updated drug policy goals for 2025. This blog highlights the federal government’s six main priorities for tackling America’s growing drug problem and examines how Sacramento County is addressing these priorities through its policies and programs.

1. Fighting overdose deaths, focusing on fentanyl

One of the most heartbreaking facts in the report is the staggering number of lives lost to drug overdoses, many linked to fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. This drug is often mixed into, or used to replace, other substances without users knowing, making it deadly.

The administration’s top priority is to lower the number of overdose deaths. To do this, they plan to:

• Expand access to life-saving medications like naloxone (Narcan)

• Launch public campaigns to educate people on how to prevent overdoses

• Make test strips more available so people can check their drugs for fentanyl

• Prosecute those who knowingly sell lethal drugs for profit

Sacramento County’s Behavioral Health Services has widely distributed naloxone (Narcan) and fentanyl test strips, available even without a prescription. Emergency responders carry it, and pharmacies and health providers offer it as well. The Sacramento County Department of Health Services and Sacramento County Opioid Coalition train local groups and residents in overdose awareness and make free Narcan kits available. Additionally, the county has launched several ongoing opioid, fentanyl, and overdose awareness campaigns like Safer Sacramento and 1 Pill Can Kill. In addition to holding Fentanyl Summits for the past three years, with over 350 in attendance at each event, Sacramento County, as well as our surrounding areas, including Placer and Fresno Counties, have held drug dealers accountable through prosecution efforts.

2. Stopping the flow of drugs into the U.S.

Drug cartels and traffickers have created fast-moving global networks that sneak illegal drugs into the U.S. using air, land, and sea. These groups use shipping channels, online marketplaces, and even small drones.

To fight back, the Administration plans to:

• Work with other countries to shut down drug production and shipping routes

• Use economic pressure on countries that don’t help stop the flow

• Share data and intelligence with law enforcement around the world

• Use new technologies to track and stop drugs from entering the U.S.

While border and international enforcement are handled at the federal level, Sacramento County supports these goals through local coordination and collaboration. The local district attorney’s office and sheriff’s department work closely with federal agencies to help crack down on trafficking networks.

3. Protecting our borders and communities

A key part of the drug strategy is stopping drugs before they get into neighborhoods. The plan includes:

• More border agents and better technology to catch smugglers

• Stronger penalties for drug traffickers

• Special task forces to fight drug crime and protect local communities

• Holding state and local governments accountable for fighting drug threats in their areas

The Sacramento County DA’s Office and Sheriff's Office, through its various divisions and collaborations, plays a vital role in combating drug trafficking and related crimes. Their efforts, including the work of the Major Narcotics Unit and participation in task forces like FORCE, demonstrate a commitment to disrupting drug networks and protecting the community from the dangers of illicit substances like fentanyl. These initiatives often involve working with other agencies, including the District Attorney's Office and local, state, and federal partners. Recent operations, such as Folsom Blues 2.0, highlight this dedication, with law enforcement seizing a significant number of fentanyl pills and making numerous arrests related to drug dealing in the Sacramento region. Additionally, Sacramento County has a partnership with Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), whose mission is to “coordinate Federal, State, Local, and Tribal law enforcement resources to reduce the availability of illicit drugs and related violence by investing in law enforcement partnerships to dismantle and disrupt drug trafficking and money laundering organizations…"

4. Preventing drug use before it starts

Prevention is always better than a cure. That’s why one of the core goals is to reduce the number of people – especially young people – who start using drugs in the first place. The national goal is to educate youth and communities through schools, social media, public service campaigns, and community resilience programs.

Here’s how:

• Promote drug education programs in schools and communities

• Use social media and public service ads to raise awareness

• Teach kids and families about the dangers of drugs and how to seek help

• Support community programs that build resilience and healthy habits

This focus on education aims to create a culture that discourages drug use before it ever begins. Sacramento County has been proactively working towards these goals for years, and will continue its efforts with innovative programs and collaboration with community partners. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) has partnered with Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Services (SUPT) to launch Safer Sacramento Youth, part of Safer Sacramento,  that aims to provide a welcoming and inclusive online space for all things related to mental health, well-being, and substance use for teens and young adults. SUPT also funds and sponsors a variety of prevention programs, projects and campaigns, including four prevention providers in middle and high schools, a partnership with Arrive Alive CA providing fentanyl education and awareness in schools and colleges, a partnership with Sac Metro Fire prevention in schools, SACCounty Healthy Beginnings, which focuses on prenatal substance exposure, Let’s Talk Meth, Future Forward, and ongoing fentanyl and overdose awareness initiatives. 

5. Supporting long-term recovery

Addiction isn’t just a personal struggle – it’s a public health issue. The Administration wants to make sure people with substance use disorders who are ready to pursue recovery can get treatment and support for lasting recovery, especially through opioid medication-assisted treatment (MAT), mental health care, peer mentoring, and community-based programs.

Plans include:

• Expanding access to medications that help treat opioid addiction

• Better mental health care, often tied to substance use/addiction struggles

• Supporting community-based recovery programs and peer mentoring

• Building a stronger network of recovery workers nationwide

Long-term recovery needs more than just treatment; it needs connection, community, and consistency. Sacramento County offers a full continuum of care through Behavioral Health Services, from outpatient and intensive outpatient services to residential treatment, detox, and recovery residences. Since July 2019, Sacramento County has been part of the Drug Medi‑Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC‑ODS), making it easier for Medi-Cal users to get coordinated, evidence-based substance use/addiction care. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) providers (offering buprenorphine, methadone, naloxone, etc.) operate at multiple contracted sites, and SacMap provides a list of behavioral health programs and services specifically designed for the diverse communities of Sacramento County. Community-based groups, such as Bridges Professional Treatment Services and WellSpace Health, deliver mentorship, peer support, counseling, housing stability, and care coordination.

6. Using better data and smarter tech

To win the fight against drugs, we need good information. That’s why the last priority focuses on research and real-time data.

The government will:

• Use artificial intelligence and machine learning to spot drug trends early

• Share data across agencies and with local partners

• Monitor emerging threats before they explode into full-blown crises

• Partner with private companies and researchers to stay ahead of the curve

With better data, policymakers can act faster and smarter. Sacramento County coordinates data across various health services, public health, the sheriff’s office, law enforcement, and community partners, making it easier to track trends and coordinate efforts. OD Map is used by first responders, providing real-time overdose data along with hospital data, opioid data from the Opioid Coalition dashboard, and data from the Sacramento County Coroner.

A Blueprint for Bold Action

The Administration’s 2025 drug policy statement is a call to action. By focusing on prevention, treatment, law enforcement, and technology, the plan aims to reduce the impact of drugs in America.

Sacramento County is already bringing that plan to life, offering real programs that touch all six policy goals. At its heart, the strategy is about saving lives. Whether it’s through helping someone recover, stopping a shipment of fentanyl, or providing youth with clear and accurate information to make healthier decisions, the message is clear: A safer, healthier future in Sacramento and beyond is possible and built by local action. When neighbors share information, youth talk openly about risks, and more voices join coalitions, advisory boards, commissions, and task forces  – real change happens.