White House to 'Engage and Enrage' Public With Ads Against Opioids

The White House, working with the Ad Council, is set to unveil a new anti-opioid campaign that will "shock the conscience," according to Axios. 

President Donald Trump reportedly has a fondness for the "Your Brain on Drugs" campaign and wanted a message with the same toughness.

"He thinks you have to engage and enrage," said one source, who was unnamed.

According to Axios, the messages were refined in focus groups and are targeted at youths, and will include links for more information or to find help for someone.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway is leading Trump's response to the opioid epidemic, and has been working with the Cabinet and Congress. Trump himself will not appear in the ads.

Trump addressed the opioid epidemic during a trip to New Hampshire in March, where he gave a speech in which he blamed Democrats for not agreeing to "build the wall to keep the damn drugs out," and called for "tougher" punishment for drug dealers, including the death penalty, according to The New York Times.

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