Colorado has seen fentanyl overdoses skyrocket since the COVID-19 pandemic with 921 people dying last year due to fentanyl overdoses. Fentanyl is a powerful illicit opioid that has become an increasingly prevalent part of fake opioids on the streets. Drug traffickers have been flooding communities with this deadly drug and lacing oxycodone and Percocet pills with it, causing many overdoses in the state of Colo. It has also been found in heroin, cocaine and other drugs which has increased the number of overdoses. 

Fentanyl has taken the lives of many young people who unknowingly ingested a drug that was laced with the other drug. The lack of overdose prevention training and information has cost lives; it needs to become widespread information through means of presentations at corporations and educational institutions and made public knowledge. Colo. should incentivize local governments throughout the state to provide overdose awareness programs and overdose reversal workshops. 

A grain of sand-sized amount of Fentanyl is enough to cause an overdose and possible death. Fentanyl has become one of the biggest issues on American policymakers’ dockets due to the sudden increase in overdoses linked to the drug in the past two years.

Luckily, there is some sense of hope due to new consequences for Johnson & Johnson, the ringleaders of the opioid crisis, owing the state of Colorado $400 million in a new settlement, holding the medical giant accountable. 

The city of Denver is estimated to take in $32 million over the next 18 years. The city plans to fund first responder education and naloxone programs, as well as provide recovery options for active substance abusers. 

The opioid crisis has taken too many young lives in Colo., but also nationwide. There needs to be more education about overdose prevention, the dangers of fentanyl and how to spot fake pills from entering the hands of Colo. youth. Fentanyl has been found to be laced with other drugs than opioids and is extremely lethal. High schools and colleges should be implementing overdose reversal workshops and teaching students how to use and provide free naloxone because it just might save their lives.