Billy Baldwin is calling for Democrats and Republicans to unite in the fight against fentanyl, saying on Newsmax on Saturday that the drug epidemic is a national emergency that transcends politics.
Actor and activist Billy Baldwin appeared on "Saturday Report" to discuss the documentary "Fentanyl: Death Incorporated," calling the fentanyl crisis a "five-alarm fire" that demands a bipartisan response.
Baldwin, who worked on the film alongside senior producer Dr. Robert Marbut Jr., described their unlikely partnership as one rooted in shared urgency despite political differences.
"We have a bit of an Oscar and Felix 'Odd Couple' partnership," Baldwin said. "I'm left-leaning Hollywood, and he's, you know, Trump's former homelessness czar. It's the issue that brought us together. It's the crisis."
The documentary, described as the most comprehensive exploration of the fentanyl epidemic to date, features interviews with intelligence agents, law enforcement, medical professionals, and families impacted by the drug. Baldwin said the scale of the crisis is staggering.
"We are at a — you know, it's a five-alarm fire. The house is on fire, and the kids are trapped inside," Baldwin said. "We have 4% of the world's population. We consume 36% of the world's fentanyl. We have 65% of the world's deaths."
He added, "Last year, we had twice as many deaths in one year in America as we took casualties in the 15 years of the Vietnam War. We lost 58,000-plus in 15 years in Vietnam, and we lost over 100,000 people last year" to fentanyl.
Baldwin urged Americans and lawmakers to move beyond partisanship.
"This is a no-brainer for the right and the left to be working together. And we have to be paying more attention to it," he said.
Baldwin recalled his early days on Capitol Hill and said political cooperation is possible.
"When I worked on The Hill for [Congressman Tom] Downey, [President Ronald] Reagan would force Tip O'Neill (former Democratic House Speaker) and Bob Dole (former Republican Senate majority leader) into a room. They'd lock the door, and nobody left. And those were the days," he said. "I think Democrats and Republicans and President Trump and the media — we all contribute to this illusion that there's more divisiveness than there is."
He continued, "When [we] sit down and we talk about these issues — especially issues like this, homelessness, mental health, fentanyl crisis, and saving lives — it's so easy to come together."
Baldwin also criticized current harm reduction models in places like San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.
"There's no harm in low harm, and harm reduction was very well intended. Fifteen years later, we realized that it's not working. We have to course correct," Baldwin said.
"You could take a person off the street that has an addiction problem and provide them housing. But you now have an addicted, mentally ill person that has housing. And you're not addressing the whole issue."
Baldwin called for "360 wraparound comprehensive care," including health care, addiction treatment, job training and placement, livable wages, and affordable housing. He noted that the crisis is not just a matter of public health but also a financial burden.
"Right now, we have the left's attention, and we have the right's attention," he said. "Because it's not only affecting our quality of life, but it's hitting our bottom line for sure."
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