Macklemore Joins President Obama’s Weekly Address To Talk Opioid Addiction

Macklemore will make history this week, as he's set to join President Barack Obama during his weekly address today (May 14) to speak to the dangers surrounding opioid addiction and abuse, an epidemic running rampant in the United States. He will be the first non-administration official to ever do so.

Macklemore visited the White House as part of an upcoming one-hour MTV special, set to air later this summer, meant to raise awareness about addiction. Both Obama and Macklemore speak to their own personal connections to the pervasive nature of drug abuse and the way it affects not only those who use, but those around them.

“I’m here with President Obama because I take this personally,” said Macklemore during the address. "I have abused prescription drugs and battled addiction. If I hadn’t gotten the help I needed when I needed it, I might not be here today. And I want to help others facing the same challenges I did.”

Macklemore went on to detail the death of his friend, Kevin, who died at the age of 21 from an overdose of prescription drugs.

"It doesn’t care what color you are, whether you’re a guy or a girl, rich or poor, whether you live in the inner-city, a suburb, or rural America,” he said. "This doesn’t just happen to other people’s kids or in some other neighborhood. It can happen to any of us.”

Obama echoed these sentiments and spoke to the necessity of having more available and accessible treatment to those who need it.

"My administration is working with communities to reduce overdose deaths, including with medication,” he said. "We’re working with law enforcement to help people get into treatment instead of jail. And under Obamacare, new health plans in the exchanges have to include coverage for treatment."

You can see the full address over at the White House’s official website beginning at 6AM EST. But if you miss it, head over to MTV or Macklemore’s Facbook pages where it’ll stream at 11AM EST.

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