Last year, parents of kids who died from opioid overdoses or fentanyl poisoning asked our office to investigate the trafficking of fentanyl and other drugs via social media platforms. We agreed. Last week, we released the results from this investigation, highlighting the nature of this challenge and the actions we can take to address it.
From my first day on the job, I prioritized taking on the opioid crisis, and I will continue to do so. That includes bringing over $720 million to Colorado from settlement funds from cases against the drug companies who fueled this crisis. This money will be used to provide increased treatment, recovery, and education/prevention services.
We continue to hear about the increasing availability of fentanyl. The scourge of fentanyl is the third wave of the opioid epidemic and addiction crisis. Even more so than the earlier waves, fentanyl–a deadly substance that is 60 times more potent than heroin–is destroying lives, families, and communities. Consider, for example, that fentanyl overdoses and fentanyl poisonings are the leading cause of preventable death among adults under 45, outpacing suicide, gun violence, and car accidents. Teens appear to be especially susceptible to such deaths. As the report highlights in detail, accessing this deadly drug is too easy on social media platforms–as explained in the report, buying drugs online is just as convenient as ordering a pizza or requesting a ride share.
This report provides a wake-up call about the staggering challenge we are facing and the urgency for oversight over social media platforms that should be required to do more to address this crisis. As the People’s Lawyer, I will continue to fight for Coloradans and do all I can to address the opioid epidemic. Thank you for helping me continue this work.
