In Colorado jails, we are making real progress in medication-assisted treatment availability, but more must be done to ensure that those in the justice system have access to life-saving treatment. At the conference, we awarded grants to five jails that are leading the way in providing effective treatment, supportive counseling, and seamless transitions to community support systems. Additionally, we offered funds to support the state Department of Corrections to ensure all inmates have access to medication addiction treatment, too.  

The ease of buying fentanyl from online platforms contributes to its widespread and deadly availability among young people. A report issued by our office starkly illustrates  that ordering fentanyl from many platforms is as easy as ordering a pizza. Alarmingly, as one article explained, “between 2019 and 2021, the number of teen deaths from fentanyl tripled—and the driver of that plague, . . was fake pills sold online.” We must stop this scourge by enacting legislation that addresses this threat.

During the conference, we honored the memories of those like Keith who we lost to opioid overdoses and learned from those living in recovery. You can read more about the conference and my opening remarks here.