Philadelphia state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta on Friday responded to a viral clip of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in which Kennedy said on a recent podcast that he was “not afraid” of germs because he once “snorted cocaine off toilet seats.”
The health minister was commenting on an appearance on Theo Von This Past Weekend, where the two talked about their shared experiences with drug addiction.
Kennedy, who has previously been open about his past substance abuse, also discussed attending recovery meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “They shut down (rehab meetings) during COVID. We were still doing live meetings every day, but it was such a pirate group… I said, ‘I don’t care what happens. I go to a meeting every day.”
Read also | Nipah Virus: Has China Developed a Cure? Here’s what researchers say
“I said, ‘I’m not afraid of a germ.’ You know, I snorted cocaine off the toilet seat and I know this disease (addiction) is going to kill me, right? Unless I’m treating it, which for me means going to appointments every day. It’s just bad for my life. So for me it was survival.”
Kenyatta reposted the video on X, saying, “For some reason I don’t trust that person in public health.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. he comes from a family history of substance abuse and has been open about his own addiction to heroin. Last April, he shared that he first encountered addiction at the age of 15 after experimenting with LSD.
His remarks follow the recent announcement of $100 million in new grant funding for a pilot program targeting homelessness and substance abuse recovery in eight cities.
Read also | Leak from China’s Wuhan lab likely cause of Covid pandemic: FBI director
The initiative stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump last month called the “Great American Recovery Initiative.”
What is The Great American Recovery Initiative?
According to a White House fact sheet, the order establishes the “White House Great American Recovery Initiative,” which will advise federal agencies on directing grants to support addiction recovery and increase awareness of drug addiction, while also leading the department to integrate programs focused on prevention, early intervention, treatment, recovery and reentry support.
The initiative will be co-chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kathryn Burgum, wife of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. A White House official said Kathryn Burgum, who has spoken publicly about her own journey to recovery, is expected to attend Trump’s announcement.
Read also | US FDA director claims at least 10 children died ‘because of’ COVID vaccine: Report
The move comes amid ongoing concerns about overdose deaths in the US. CNN reported that the number of deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, caused mostly by fentanyl, has increased sharply, although data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the number of deaths has decreased since 2022 and recently returned to pre-pandemic levels. Despite the decline, more than 70,000 people died of overdoses in the US last year.
Government data cited by the White House indicated that by 2024, more than 74% of adults who believed they had a drug or alcohol problem considered themselves recovered or fully recovered. The data also showed that among the 40.7 million adults with substance use disorders who did not receive treatment, 95.6% did not realize they needed help.
Read also | The White House is softening the language of trade deals
The administration said the initiative is part of a broader effort to coordinate resources nationwide and strengthen public health responses, complementing a larger White House campaign targeting alleged drug trafficking networks in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
(With input from agencies)