Christie joins Trump’s opioid task force: ‘This is an epidemic’

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) says President Trump’s commission for combating America’s opioid abuse will consider addiction as a disease.

“This is an epidemic in our country,” he said Wednesday on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends.” “Addiction is a disease.”

“We need to treat it that way, and we need to get people the help that they need to renew their lives and help become productive members of society and our families.”

{mosads}Christie added that Trump’s opioid task force would focus on drug addiction, prevention and treatment before suggesting new policies to the president.

“We’re going to be looking at all those things at the federal government level and what the states are doing and come back to the president with recommendations about how to address this problem and give some hope to families who are being torn apart by this problem across the country.”

Reports emerged Tuesday that Christie would take a role in Trump’s White House to help fight the nation’s opioid epidemic.

A draft order for Trump’s commission reportedly states Christie and other members will make recommendations to the president relating to treatment and law connected with opioid addiction.

Christie last month signed a series of bills related to the opioid crisis in New Jersey, including one requiring state-regulated insurance plans to cover treatments for opioid addiction.

The New Jersey governor became a strong supporter of Trump after dropping his own White House bid last year and was long rumored for a role in the president’s administration.