PHOENIX — An average of 5 Arizonans die each day from an opioid-related overdose.
Most of these incidents involve fentanyl.
“Every decade there’s a new drug, and every decade the drugs get cheaper and seem to get more addictive,” said Maricopa County Superintendent Clint Hickman.
Hickman and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell spoke with 12News as part of the second annual Fentanyl Awareness Day.
“Maricopa County is literally the epicenter of fentanyl smuggling,” Mitchell said.
About 28 million fentanyl pills seized in Arizona last year accounted for nearly half of all pills seized nationwide, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The DEA told 12News last year that cartels often ship drugs to Arizona before shipping them across the country.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has also seen a steady increase in the number of fentanyl-related complaints, from 923 in the second half of 2019 to more than 6,600 last year.
“We will prosecute those who sold or transported it and hold them accountable. And they are looking at jail time in the future,” Mitchell said.
This number is on pace to get even worse in 2023. The DEA has already seized 25 million tablets and filed nearly 2,500 lawsuits.
“The situation is getting worse as another record year goes on,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell also worries that the expiration of Title 42’s immigration policy could exacerbate the problem. Pandemic-related rules allowed federal officials to quickly deport immigrants trying to enter the country.
Officials fear cartels will use border humanitarian crisis to sneak more drugs into US
“They’re trying to screen a lot of people, and it’s just not possible,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell and Hickman want a comprehensive approach to combating the drug problem. This includes targeted border policies, rehabilitation and drug-free education.
“It may sound naive that Nancy Reagan said ‘just say no’ in the ’80s. I ask my kids to say no,” Hickman said.
While the policy is similar to what has been done in the past, Hickman and Mitchell believe that doing nothing is not an option.
“It’s an overwhelming problem that we keep fighting because if we don’t fight, more people will die,” Mitchell said.
