Macklemore & President Obama Address Opioid Addiction

President Obama and Macklemore tackle addiction.

During his “Weekly Address” on Saturday (May 14), the POTUS linked up with the “Thrift Shop” MC to discuss the dangers of substance abuse.

“Deaths from opioid overdoses have tripled since 2000,” said the President. “A lot of time, they’re from legal drugs prescribed from a doctor, so addiction doesn’t always start in some dark alley; it often starts in a medicine cabinet.”

This year, Macklemore released “Kevin,” a single off This Unruly Mess I’ve Made, that speaks about drug abuse and his late friend’s overdose. Referencing the song, the Seattle spitter also expounds on the fact that addiction can affect all walks of life.

“Addiction is like any other disease: It doesn’t discriminate, it doesn’t care what color you are, whether you’re a guy or a girl, rich or poor, whether you live in an inner city, suburb or rural America,” he explained. “This doesn’t just happen to other peoples’ kids or some other neighborhood; it can happen to any of us.”

President Obama and Macklemore aren’t done addressing this issue. The two are expected to continue the conversation in a documentary, slated to drop on MTV this summer. For now, though, watch their powerful PSA below.