Fentanyl takes a big toll on individuals, families, and communities across the Big Sky State, even with the record-breaking amount of the drug removed from distribution.
Montana attorney general Austin Knudsen is increasing his efforts to remove the dangerous substance from the state, partnering with Voices for Awareness, a group that raises awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and counterfeit drugs.
In the first nine months of 2022, anti-drug task forces removed a total of 155,000 doses of fentanyl from distribution. That number is twice as many doses as was seized in the previous four years combined. The numbers come in from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force and does not include statistics from other law enforcement entities.
Opioid deaths, overdoses, and emergency requests are also on the rise in Montana. In the first three quarters of the year, there were an average ninety 9-1-1 calls related to opioid overdoses, up 28% from 2021. Through November 15, 987 overdoses are on record, with 141 resulting in a fatality. Several other cases are still pending determination. In data from the CDC, US drug overdose deaths saw a 30% increase from 2019 to 2020 and is a leading cause of young adult death. Native Americans ages 25-44 experienced a 49% increase in overdose fatalities, mostly driven by fentanyl use.
In the effort to combat the problem, AG Knudsen has added agents to the MT Department of Justice narcotics and major case agents, staffed a statewide drug intelligence officer to assist local and public health agencies, and initiated a grant program that put two dozen drug detecting K9’s in place around the state.
