The Mohave County Sheriff's Office will receive approximately $300,000 in additional state funding as law enforcement agencies across Arizona seek to address the continuing trend of fentanyl-related arrests and deaths.
On Tuesday, the Mohave County Board of Supervisors approved a partnership between local law enforcement and the Arizona Department of Public Safety under a Fentanyl, Prosecution, Diversion and Testing Agreement. The agreement provides $294,725 in funding to increase law enforcement efforts in Mohave County and educate residents about fentanyl through the state's Public Assistance Program and Stop Overdose and Addiction Resource Program. That will happen.
Under the approved partnership, Mohave County will provide statistical activities and is expected to make progress toward curbing fentanyl-related crimes.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is a Schedule II narcotic under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Synthetic opioids were first developed as intravenous anesthetics in 1959, and two types are manufactured: pharmaceutical and illegally manufactured. This drug is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.
According to the 2022 DEA report on fentanyl, synthetic opioids were responsible for approximately 2,600 drug overdose deaths nationwide in 2011 and 2012. However, since 2013, the number has increased exponentially. A 2021 study showed that more than 68,000 people nationwide suffered a fatal overdose from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl in that year alone.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between July 2022 and July 2023, 1,896 Arizona residents suffered a fatal overdose from synthetic opioid use. In contrast, 238 Arizona residents suffered a fatal overdose from cocaine, and 98 suffered a fatal overdose from methadone use. and 44 people died from heroin-related overdoses.
But six years ago, the numbers were very different. In 2017, synthetic opioids (not including methadone) were the third leading cause of overdose deaths in Arizona. From June 2016 to June 2017, only 195 fatal overdoses were reported related to the use of synthetic opioids. By contrast, there were 354 heroin-related deaths and 866 prescription opioid-related deaths.
As of this week, synthetic opioids remain second to opioid drugs in overdose-related deaths across Arizona, according to the CDC.
This week's agreement between the Mohave County Sheriff's Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety follows the Attorney General's Office's agreement last month to secure opioid overdose treatment drugs in Arizona counties with the greatest need, including Mohave County. This is a follow-up to the efforts of
On December 20, Attorney General Chris Mays announced that naloxone shipments would be shipped to Yuma, Pima, Navajo, Gila, and Mohave counties. These shipments are expected to prevent possible overdoses by the county health department, Mays said in a statement last month.
These shipments will be provided by Teva Pharmaceuticals for the next 10 years under the National Opioid Settlement Agreement. Mohave County is scheduled to receive its first shipment of 1,200 units of naloxone in June, according to the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
“This allocation of valuable naloxone will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the lives of Mohave County residents,” Mohave County Health Director Chad Kingsley said last month. “As we all know, opioid-related emergencies are an alarming concern, and providing naloxone can help first responders, health care workers, friends, and family prevent opioid overdoses. You will have powerful tools to respond quickly and effectively. The partnership between the Attorney General's Office and the Mohave County Department of Public Health exemplifies the collaborative spirit necessary to address complex health challenges. Masu.”
