Opioid prevention advocates rally at Minnesota Capitol with new urgency

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Fentanyl is now the dominant driver of opioid overdose deaths in Minnesota, which hit a report in 2021, giving new urgency to advocates for remedy and prevention who rallied on the state Capitol on Monday.

The state recorded 924 opioid deaths final 12 months, a 35 % enhance from 2020, in accordance with knowledge from the state Division of Well being. 9 in 10 of these deaths have been from fentanyl, a drug that is extremely deadly in small doses and may be injected into capsules in ways in which’s undetectable for drug customers.

Whereas the state is pouring hundreds of thousands of {dollars} into dependancy prevention and remedy efforts, the Legislature didn’t move harder felony penalties for fentanyl due to a disagreement over whether or not possession — not simply dealing — must be against the law. Further funding for public security efforts additionally failed when end-of-session negotiations stalled.

Fentanyl a driving think about Minnesota’s report overdoses deaths in 2021

“I used to be indignant. At the moment was about love and hope and renewal. However I used to be indignant,” Michele Hein, whose son Tyler died in 2020 after ingesting fentanyl. “It appeared to me the legislators that voted no on these payments didn’t know and perceive the disaster that we’re in.”

The Legislature won’t return till January until there is a particular session.

The state’s funding supply for its prevention and remedy efforts is about to shift. Cash from the nationwide settlement in opposition to opioid distributors and one drugmaker is beginning to movement into Minnesota this month.

The state stands to obtain $300 million over the following 18 years. Three-fourths of that cash will go to native governments, with the state maintaining the final 25% for statewide efforts.