Opinion: A war on fentanyl, not a war on people: George Gascón
We all know that fentanyl is killing people at unprecedented rates, but if a recent report issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health doesn’t spur us into massive action, we should be ashamed. According to that report, fentanyl-related fatalities have skyrocketed by a whopping 1,280% in the last five years alone. In 2021, the synthetic opioid killed over 1,500 people, and accounted for over half of all drug overdose deaths in L.A. County.
Fentanyl is no ordinary drug. It is particularly lethal because of its extreme toxicity; it is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more stronger than morphine. And its deadly reach extends to all sociodemographic and geographic groups: every community has been affected regardless of age, class or race. Fentanyl is driving youth overdose deaths, leaving parents and school administrators questioning how to effectively address drug use in order to prevent more teen deaths.
But in our desire to solve this epidemic, we must be mindful of past mistakes. If the failed War on Drugs has taught us one thing, it’s that we cannot incarcerate our way out of a public health issue. Sadly, whether desperate for a solution, or seeking a reason to go back to the tough-on-crime days, many politicians are calling for stricter penalties.
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