(Idaho Freedom Caucus Press Release, December 7, 2023)
Fentanyl is perhaps the most dangerous epidemic in America today. This synthetic opioid, up to one hundred times more potent than morphine, is being trafficked to communities throughout our country. Nearly 100,000 people died from fentanyl overdoses in the last year, and that number continues to climb.
A miniscule amount of fentanyl can lead to a fatal overdose, and trace amounts are often mixed into other substances without users knowing. This can lead to a very dangerous situation, not only for addicts but for anyone they come into contact with. Even the slightest exposure to fentanyl can cause significant health issues for law enforcement personnel and other first responders.
Unfortunately, Idaho has not been spared from this awful plague. Nearly four hundred people died of drug overdoses in our state last year, and almost half of these deaths came from fentanyl. Many more had non-fatal overdoses, compounding their health problems. This lethal drug is trafficked through our porous southern border and makes its way to Idaho and into the hands of our fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, families and friends.
Addressing this crisis and protecting Idaho families requires more than just roundtable discussions. We must support our fellow legislators in border states to keep fentanyl from entering our country in the first place. We must give law enforcement the tools to intercept this awful drug and get it off our streets. We must give prosecutors and judges the ability to keep dealers out of our communities. We must offer hope and a purpose to the countless people who turn to dangerous drugs in the first place.
Even though fentanyl is a scourge in Idaho, don’t be discouraged. The Idaho Freedom Caucus stands firm and united against the proliferation of this dangerous drug. We plan to address this epidemic in the upcoming session before any more of our citizens succumbs to this killer.
