Former Acting US Drug Czar Richard J. Baum to Speak at NYC DEA/UAF Fentanyl Awareness Walk and Release Recommendations
Baum at the Office of National Drug Control Policy in Washington, D.C.
Acting Director Baum visiting drug treatment center in Vermont in 2017 and posing with office dog
Baum's Hard Lesson #12 - There is no Easy Button to address the opioid crisis
Drawing on 28 years at ONDCP and his 2026 book, Baum publicly releases 12 "Hard Lessons" and 32 Policy Recommendations for the opioid and synthetic drug crisis.
Remembrance and awareness must be matched by action. Insights from the 12 hard lessons and the proposals in the 32 recommendations offer a national strategy equal to the severe threat we face.”
NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, July 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Richard J. Baum, former Acting Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and Advisory Board Member of United Against Fentanyl (UAF), will participate as a featured speaker in the United Against Fentanyl / DEA Walk for Lives event on Saturday, July 11, beginning at the Brooklyn Bridge and concluding with remarks at City Hall Park.— Richard J. Baum
Baum will join DEA leadership, bereaved family members, treatment and recovery leaders, and Paul Martin, CEO of United Against Fentanyl, in calling for a stronger national response to the fentanyl crisis. Following the walk, Baum will discuss the evolving synthetic drug supply, expanding access to treatment and recovery, strengthening public health and law enforcement partnerships, and modernizing international efforts to reduce the flow of fentanyl, synthetic drugs, and the chemicals used to manufacture them.
In conjunction with the event, Baum is also making publicly available for the first time the complete 12 Hard Lessons and 32 Recommendations from his 2026 book, Inside America's Opioid Crisis: 12 Hard Lessons for Today's Drug War. Previously available only to readers of the book, these recommendations are now freely accessible on his website to encourage broader public discussion about the actions needed to better address America's evolving opioid and synthetic drug crisis.
The new online resource presents what Baum describes as a national strategy to modernize America's response to addiction, overdose, drug trafficking, treatment, recovery, prevention, and emerging synthetic drug threats. Organized into five policy pillars, the recommendations address governance and accountability, treatment and recovery, criminal justice and public safety, enforcement and international strategy, and prevention and future readiness.
The Brooklyn Bridge event is the national kickoff for Walk for Lives events taking place in more than 100 communities across the country. Participants will include bereaved families, advocates, people in recovery, law enforcement, prevention leaders, treatment providers, public health professionals, educators, and community organizations united in raising awareness and calling for action.
Baum's remarks will emphasize that remembrance and awareness must be matched by action.
WHAT
United Against Fentanyl / DEA Walk for Lives
WHEN
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Walk begins: 9:30 a.m.
Featured speakers begin approximately 10:30 a.m.
Richard J. Baum remarks: Approximately 11:00 a.m.
Media interviews: Following the program
WHERE
Start: Korean War Veterans Plaza (Brooklyn entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge)
Finish: City Hall Park, Manhattan
WHO
DEA leadership
United Against Fentanyl leadership
Bereaved families
Recovery and treatment leaders
Community organizations
Richard J. Baum, former Acting Director, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
Paul Martin, CEO, United Against Fentanyl
VISUALS
Families and community members walking across the Brooklyn Bridge
DEA leadership and United Against Fentanyl officials
Photos and tributes honoring lives lost to fentanyl
Remarks from families, community leaders, and national drug policy experts
Media interviews following the program
INTERVIEW TOPICS
• The changing fentanyl and synthetic drug threat
• Why treatment must become easier to access than illicit drugs
• Building stronger partnerships among law enforcement, public health, treatment, and recovery organizations
• Modernizing international efforts to reduce synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals
• Baum's newly released 12 Hard Lessons and 32 Recommendations for modernizing America's response to the opioid and synthetic drug crisis
NEW ONLINE RESOURCE
For the first time, Baum has made publicly available the complete 12 Hard Lessons and 32 Recommendations from Inside America's Opioid Crisis. Developed from nearly three decades at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and expanded in his 2026 book, the recommendations are intended to promote informed public discussion about practical reforms to better address addiction, overdose, recovery, public safety, and the rapidly evolving synthetic drug supply.
Hard Lessons & Recommendations :
RichardJBaum.com/hard-lessons-recommendations
MEDIA CONTACT
Richard J. Baum
media@richardjbaum.com
www.richardjbaum.com
https://richardjbaum.com/book
www.linkedin.com/in/richardjbaum
About Richard J. Baum
Richard J. Baum served at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy for 28 years across six presidential administrations, including as Acting Director of ONDCP from 2017 to 2018. He is the author of Inside America's Opioid Crisis: 12 Hard Lessons for Today's Drug War, serves on the Advisory Board of United Against Fentanyl, and is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy.
About United Against Fentanyl / Walk for Lives
Walk for Lives is a nationwide movement organized by United Against Fentanyl to remember lives lost to fentanyl, raise awareness, educate communities, and inspire action. Following the July 11 Walk for Lives events across the country, United Against Fentanyl is planning in conjunction with DEA a national walk in Washington, D.C., on September 26, followed by a policy summit at Georgetown University's Capitol Campus. Additional information about these upcoming initiatives will be available during the Brooklyn Bridge event and after from United Against Fentanyl (https://www.unitedagainstfentanyl.org/).
Richard J Baum
Author / Former Drug Czar / Georgetown Professor
media@richardjbaum.com
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America’s Opioid Crisis Video Series Overview - first of a 17-part series of short videos on the opioid crisis drawn from book, Inside America's Opioid Crisis
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