Secretary Becerra: "We do not persecute users; we seek to save their lives"

SENIOR OFFICIAL TALKS ABOUT THE FENTANYL CRISIS

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Synthetic opioids, especially fentanyl, continued to be the leading cause of overdose deaths. Fentanyl caused more than two-thirds, or 75 percent, of all those overdose deaths. Two years ago, annual synthetic opioid overdose deaths in the United States hovered around 50,000, while now they are closer to 80,000. Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than morphine and heroin and is often sold illegally for having heroin-like effects, according to the CDC.

Secretario Becerra: “No perseguimos a los consumidores queremos que salven su vida”

Fake pills with lethal amounts of fentanyl are popping up everywhere. Fentanyl is in counterfeit versions of Xanax and Percocets and appears mixed with cocaine and ecstasy. Six young Hispanics died in Commerce City, Colorado, after consuming the illegal pills “M30” that are made with fentanyl and other substances. The same fate befell some West Point cadets who arrived in Florida where they used cocaine mixed with fentanyl.

Message to users

The consumption of just one of these pills is fatal. Usually more than one substance is detected in the deceased, as they tend to mix them. “The first thing we have to say to anyone who is going to use drugs in a way that is dangerous is to get help. These consumers should know that many people are dying because they are not sure what is in the drug or pills they consume, “said Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States (HHS).

Secretary Becerra continues with his message to those consumers. “Right now what matters to us is not that someone is using drugs. We are not here to shoot or persecute you for using these types of substances. We are here to help and offer services to help you with your addiction. Right now, we are trying to save lives and put these people on a straight path so that they can be successful in this country without consuming drugs,” Becerra asserted.

Secretary Becerra: "We do not persecute users; we seek to save their lives" Secretario Becerra: “No perseguimos a los consumidores queremos que salven su vida”

Assigned Resources

The Biden administration has committed resources to address addiction and end the drug overdose epidemic. The amount assigned to alleviate the crisis caused by fentanyl is 4,000 million dollars. Those resources were set aside within the US Rescue Plan. This amount will be used to strengthen and expand services to assist those with substance use disorders and those in need of mental health care.