White House denies reports they are spending $30 million on ‘crack pipes’

The White House has denied claims that the Biden administration is funding the distribution of crack pipes to communities across the country.

The administration clarified that the grant program is intended to reduce harm caused by drug addiction through the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to The Grio, some media outlets had reported that President Joe Biden was spending $30 million to distribute crack pipes to Americans facing addiction and to “underserved communities.” The reports from networks such as the Washington Free Beacon and Fox News spread rapidly on the internet and morphed into a claim that the crack pipes were meant for Black communities.

Tucker Carlson, a host on Fox News, reported on the story. Several Republican Senators also slammed the White House over the claims.

In a public statement, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and the Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Dr. Rahul Gupta said, “No federal funding will be used directly or through subsequent reimbursement of grantees to put pipes in safe smoking kits.”

The $30 million was being set aside for a grant funded by the American Rescue Plan administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that was announced last year.

A senior Biden official said that the program is meant to “deliver evidenced-based harm reduction strategies to individuals that are struggling with addiction.” They clarified that “no awards have been made yet at this time, while applications were due earlier this week.”