Sessions: Drug overdoses 'the top lethal issue' in the US

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Attorney General Jeff Sessions is calling the epidemic of drug overdose deaths "the top lethal issue" in the U.S. and urged everyone "create and foster a culture that's hostile to drug use."

Sessions delivered the remarks Tuesday to the National Alliance For Drug Endangered Children, which is hosting its annual conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Sessions told conference attendees that preliminary data showing nearly 60,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2016 will be the highest in the country's history.

Sessions spoke for about 25 minutes and left without taking questions.

At one point, he accused Hollywood, the media and government officials for sending "mixed messages about the harmfulness of drugs." He didn't name any government officials.