“Seattle Police seized nearly 650,000 fentanyl-based pills in 2021 alone,” according to King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, noting that was 10 times the number seized in 2020.
“Today, we declared fentanyl a public health crisis to sound the alarm that fentanyl is lethal, prevalent on our streets, and tragically claiming the lives of far too many people — children, parents, brothers, and sisters — here in King County,” Dunn said. “It just takes one pill to claim a life.”
On top of declaring the public health crisis, the motion tasks Public Health with identifying strategies and recommendations to amplify its efforts to reduce fentanyl-related deaths. The DEA describes fentanyl as a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. Many who take it are not aware of what they are taking because often it is disguised to look like a legitimate prescription pain reliever or added to heroin and other drugs without the user’s knowledge. Because of its high potency, fentanyl is deadly in very small doses.
“I am so thankful this legislation has passed, and it makes me more optimistic about the future,” Lynch said. “There have been way too many innocent lives lost and I’m relieved this is starting to get the attention it deserves,” she said, adding a big thank you to Dunn and co-sponsors Sarah Perry and Kohl-Wells.“I am overwhelmed with gratitude,” said Jonson.
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