Trump wants more traffickers put to death. Can he do that?
WASHINGTON (AP) — A wide-ranging White House plan to combat America's opioid crisis contains a striking element: It calls on the Justice Department to seek the death penalty for some drug traffickers. Opponents call that a return to failed drug-war tactics, and some legal experts question its constitutionality and effectiveness.
A look at President Donald Trump's proposal:
WHAT IS THE PLAN?
The push for greater use of the death penalty is just part of a sweeping plan that includes stiffer penalties for drug peddlers as well as expanding access to treatment and recovery efforts. It's in keeping with the Trump administration's tough-on-crime approach to the opioid abuse epidemic that claimed a record 42,000 people in the U.S. in 2016.