Finally, Some Encouraging News About The Fentanyl Epidemic

If you are young enough that you have only ever voted in elections where Trump was on the ballot, then you do not remember a time before fentanyl became the scariest thing anyone could imagine.  If you watch news reports from the 80s where people panicked about crack cocaine, or even about HIV, it seems like retro entertainment; none of these “it can happen to anyone” agents of death are nearly as scary as fentanyl.  Imagine heroin, but 50 times as strong, so strong a dose the size of a grain of sand can kill, and ubiquitous, available on the Internet and on the street.  Like the monster in Stephen King’s IT, fentanyl can look like anything, from a nondescript drug powder to a fake Xanax pill to an ordinary bag of weed.  It is no wonder that anyone who wants to provoke feelings of fear can simply invoke the name of fentanyl.  This month, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published some encouraging news about the fentanyl epidemic.  Meanwhile, fentanyl is still prevalent in the drug supply; it could even be present in the pills you bought from a friend of a friend, even though neither you nor the friend of a friend knew it.  If you are facing charges for possession of fentanyl after the powder or counterfeit prescription pills in your possession tested positive for fentanyl, contact a Pittsburgh drug crime lawyer.

What Accounts for the Decrease in Fentanyl Overdose Deaths?

Everyone has an opinion about how to reduce drug overdose deaths, and since the efforts tend to occur simultaneously, when a decrease in overdoses occurs, everyone tends to take credit for their own efforts.  Law enforcement focuses on devoting resources to the investigation of drug trafficking cases and on tough sentences for people convicted of trafficking, plus plea deals for those who assist law enforcement in finding other suppliers of illicit drugs.  Meanwhile, the availability of test strips and naloxone, carried by police, first responders, and public health clinics alike, also play a role.  Health officials also emphasize community resources that protect people from the problems that make them vulnerable to substance abuse and addiction in the first place, as well as medication-assisted therapy and harm reduction efforts such as safe injection sites.

In the News

In November 2024, the DEA issued a press release reporting the first hopeful news we have heard about the opioid epidemic in many years.  The number of fentanyl overdose deaths decreased by more than 14 percent between June 2023 and June 2024.  This is the biggest decrease since fentanyl first became part of the illegal drug supply in the United States.  Furthermore, during the same period, only 50 percent of counterfeit pills tested in crime labs contained fentanyl, compared to 70 percent previously.  This could be because fentanyl has become more expensive, so counterfeit drug manufacturers have started using cheaper ingredients.

Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for illegal possession of fentanyl.  Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.

Source:

dea.gov/press-releases/2024/11/15/deas-third-annual-national-family-summit-fentanyl-highlights-progress#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20CDC%2C%20the,potentially%20deadly%20dose%20of%20fentanyl.