Trump pledges to arrest drug dealers, pharmacists and manufacturers to tackle opioid crisis - as he repeats call for use of death penalty

President Donald Trump has said that his administration will confront the opioid epidemic in the United States, promising to crack down on those responsible for the drug problem that has torn communities and families apart across the country.

In his most comprehensive speech on the issue yet, Mr Trump announced a three-pronged approach to combat the epidemic while sending a warning shot to interested parties at all levels from drug dealers up to drug manufacturers, promising that his administration would punish them for their part in the problem.

For drug dealers, Mr Trump reiterated his support for pursuing the death penalty in jurisdictions where that could be possible. For drug manufactures, the President said he had instructed his Justice Department to consider ways to bring a federal lawsuit against drug manufacturers that have pushed opioid prescription rates to unprecedented levels over the past several decades.

"Whether you are a dealer, a doctor, or a manufacturer ... we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will hold you accountable," Mr Trump said during a speech in New Hampshire.

Mr Trump's administration has announced that they will begin to combat the opioid addiction through a combination of education, prevention, and treatment. Using $6bn that Mr Trump said he has pushed Congress to include in next year's budget, the President said that he wants to target young people in the US through advertisements online and on television with the hopes that young Americans will think twice about touching opioids.

"This epidemic can affect anyone, which is why we must educate everyone," Mr Trump said.

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