In October, I spoke with Attorney General Ashley Moody of Florida, Attorney General William Tonne of Connecticut, and 16 other Attorneys General who urged President Joe Biden to classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. In a partisan effort, I expressed my firm support. They are in the fight to protect American citizens. Last weekend, Sen. Rick Scott announced his nine-point response to the fentanyl crisis, including a Senate resolution designating February 26, 2023 through March 4, 2023 as “National Fentanyl Awareness Week.” sent out a press release detailing its approach. I thank Senator Scott for his leadership on this important issue.
Illegally manufactured and distributed fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing our nation. So deadly, in fact, that terror isn’t just what you read about or see in the news, it’s what you see on the streets of our county. Based on the amount of fentanyl seized over the past two years, there is enough fentanyl in the streets to kill 786,825 people, nearly five times the population. Additionally, during the final months of the 2022 calendar year, Florida law enforcement officers seized enough fentanyl to kill the state’s entire population of over 22 million people.
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On January 19th, my team arrested 40-year-old Matthew Mullins, a longtime dealer in Homosassa, for possessing 51 grams of fentanyl during a traffic stop. This is enough for him to kill 25,000 people. Think about it for a second. Less than 2 ounces can kill thousands of people, and as a substance in the air, it can reach everyone.
Every American citizen should know the plain truth about illegal fentanyl, if they don’t. To illustrate, the photo above represents a lethal dose of fentanyl – just 2 milligrams. Multicolored tablets are produced that are intended for Americans. Additionally, many people are unaware that the illegal drugs they purchase may be laced with fentanyl. This is a common practice where dealers try to market their products as “pure” or offering better high prices to attract more buyers. Number of deaths in case of overdose. When you look at weapons of mass destruction like fentanyl, the danger is real, the threat deadly, and the consequences have ripple effects on our society.
Classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction requires Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Agency to coordinate their response with other agencies, including the Department of Defense. presenting new options to combat the spread of fentanyl, disrupting the drug trafficking trade and paving the way for harsher punishments for those found in possession of fentanyl.
The potency of this drug alone, let alone if it falls into the wrong hands, is reason enough to justify the fear and weaponization potential of this drug. As I said in a letter to , fentanyl has claimed record numbers of lives across the country and continues to flow freely across our borders. Near the end of last year, I will visit the U.S. border with Mexico with Colonel Justin Ferrara, Sheriff Al Nainhuis (President of the Florida Sheriffs Association), and Sheriff Bill Leeper, thanks to a kind invitation from Congress. I got the chance. Gus Birirakis. While there, we received an important update on the increase in drug seizures reported by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, toured the U.S. Customs clearance process in Nogales, Arizona, spoke with Border Patrol agents, and visited Arizona. I met with Sheriff Mark of Cochise County, State. Danells and his staff. For that person, there was universal agreement about the growing illicit drug problem, the existential threat posed by fentanyl, and how drug trafficking was negatively impacting the nation as a whole.
Thankfully, our great Governor Ron DeSantis and our outstanding Congressman Gus Vililakis are listening and taking action. Last year, Governor DeSantis signed into law HB 95, which strengthens penalties for the sale and distribution of opioids in Florida, including fentanyl. In a press release, he said, “While the Biden administration failed to stop the flow of dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, across the southern border, it is taking action in Florida to reduce both the demand and supply of illegal drugs.” and illegal drugs.”
In response to the growing threat fentanyl poses to the people of Citrus County, the CCSO began the process of doubling the standard issuance of naloxone (Nalcan) to each legislator as of last year. In addition, all buildings were equipped with naloxone, and all employees, regardless of agency status, were trained to recognize and respond to the signs of opioid overdose.
I have traveled to the capital for seminars, sat with federal, state and local representatives, attended roundtables to share these facts, and have been doing everything in my power to protect citizens from illegal fentanyl. We recommend that you review Attorney General Moody’s plan, which has specific steps for the federal government to follow, and then Senator Scott’s nine-point approach to addressing the fentanyl crisis. .
Once you have the facts, please reach out personally to Governor DeSantis, Congressman Gus Birilakis, Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, and most importantly President Biden, to voice your concerns about fentanyl. crisis. Our country is in danger, our states are in danger, our counties are in danger and we must act before it’s too late. .
Mike Prendergast is the Sheriff of Citrus County.
