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As the Nation’s Doctor, the U.S. Surgeon General’s mission is to advance the health of the American people. Vice Admiral Jerome Adams oversees the operations of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which has approximately 6,500 uniformed health officers who serve in nearly 600 locations around the world to promote, protect and advance the health and safety of our nation and our world. Here are some of the year’s biggest milestones.

“No mother should ever bury her child, and especially not when there is a life-saving intervention that anyone can access. It is for this reason that I am issuing the first Surgeon General’s Advisory in over ten years to bring awareness to and highlight the use of naloxone. It is time to make sure more people have access to this lifesaving medication, because 77 percent of opioid overdose deaths occur outside of a medical setting and more than half occur at home,” said U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams. It is important to know effective treatment is available and people recover every day. Read the advisory here to learn how you can help play a role: https://www.surgeongeneral.gov/index.html

“Addiction is a brain disease that touches families across America – even my own,” said U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams. “We need to work together to put an end to stigma.” Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids calls for a cultural shift in the way Americans talk about the opioid crisis and recommends actions that can prevent and treat opioid misuse and promote recovery. Read the Spotlight at: https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/

“Right now, one of the greatest health threats to Americans, is the opioid overdose crisis, which is why I have dedicated a significant amount of my time as Surgeon General to raising awareness about what each and every American can do to play their part in addressing this epidemic of misuse and overdose”,said U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams. In the late 1980’s Surgeon General C. Everett Koop sent a pamphlet, called “Understanding AIDS” to every household in hopes to educate every individual about AIDS, provide the latest prevention steps and list ways individuals could get involved to stop AIDS. The opioid crisis calls for the same approach. The Surgeon General’s 21st century advisory provides the public with tangible actions they can take to raise awareness, prevention addiction and prevent overdose deaths. To learn how you can help, please visit: https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/

Oral health is essential to the general health and well-being of all Americans and can be achieved by all. However, many Americans continue to experience unnecessary pain and complications from poor oral health that adversely affect their well-being, adding substantial economic and social costs. Poor oral health also impacts our nation's ability to recruit young adults for military service and maintain military readiness. In late November, Dr. Adams took part in a listening session concerning Oral Health to update the landmark Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health published in 2000. This report will document the progress in oral health, identify existing knowledge gaps, and articulate a public health vision for the future. It is imperative that we Americans recognize how one’s mouth, teeth, and gums impacts overall health. To learn more about the Surgeon General’s oral initiative, please visit: www.surgeongeneral.gov.

“Today, December 18, I am officially declaring e-cigarette use among youth an epidemic in the United States,” said U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams. E-cigarette use among youth has skyrocketed in the past year at a rate of epidemic proportions. As noted in the 2016 Surgeon General’s report on E-cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults, e-cigarette use poses a significant – and avoidable – health risk to young people. Besides increasing the possibility of addiction and long-term harm to brain development and respiratory health, e-cigarette use may also lead to the use of regular cigarettes that can do even more damage to the body. To learn how you can play an important role in protecting our nation’s young people from the risks of e-cigarettes, visit: e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov

“Healthy workers are more productive, less absent and have lower health care costs. Healthy communities are more pleasant places to live; and as we build and strengthen healthy communities, let’s ensure everyone shares in opportunities for health and economic prosperity”, said U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams at the 2018 American Public Health Association opening session. Communities that are healthier are more prosperous. That is why the Surgeon General is working on a report to demonstrate the intersection between health and the economy because we know investments in community health is a key prevention strategy to produce greater individual and community health and well-being and ultimately lead to greater economic and overall prosperity. The Surgeon General has already held several convenings at National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, with the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the University of Virginia. In 2019, Dr. Adams will continue to meet with both health and business partners to gain more insight into how businesses can work to improve the health of their employees and surrounding communities. To learn more about the Surgeon General’s Community Health and Economic Prosperity initiative, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov.