Gov. Mike Dunleavy held a press conference today addressing the fentanyl crisis in Alaska.
The governor says that he will be asking for the Legislature to increase the penalties to the maximum extent possible for anyone who deals fentanyl or fentanyl-laced drugs. He called it a total disregard for the safety of others and said that drug dealers to be prosecuted further:
“Right now, Alaska Statute 11.41.120 states that it is a class A felony manslaughter of a person knowingly manufactures or delivers a controlled substance and a person dies as a result of ingestion of a controlled substance. This is such a serious issue that we’ll be having discussions with the Legislature to increase this charge to second degree murder, especially for those that know what the risk is.”
Fentanyl is driving a 71% increase in opioid deaths in Alaska from 2020-2021. In 2020, the number of overdose deaths was 146. In 2021, it sharply increased to 253, according to preliminary data from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. Overdose deaths also increased 25% at the same time for Alaskans aged 15-24. A larger increase of nearly 300% was seen in young working adults aged 25-34. Additionally, six out of every ten drug overdose deaths involved fentanyl in 2021.
Gov. Dunleavy called it a law enforcement issue as well as a treatment issue:
“These seizures demonstrate that much of this fentanyl is coming in in the form of counterfeit opiates to resemble pills such as oxycontin, but what’s happening is, often times these drug dealers are preying upon the addictions that individuals have through oxycontin because of prior potential medical reasons. Our health department is now updating the 2018-2022 Opiate Action Plan to an opiate and polysubstance use action. This is recommended because there is often more than one substance involved with overdoses and deaths. We’re focusing on ending the stigma around addiction so that people who are struggling will seek help.”
Alaska is seeing on average 14.8 overdoses per 100,000 people, with the highest doses per capita rate in Anchorage at 20.8 overdoses per 100,000 people, followed by Ketchikan, Juneau, the Kenai Peninsula, and the Mat-Su.
The governor also directed the Adam Crum, Commissioner of Health and Social Services to reach out and warn schools and parents through an alert bulletin, in addition to ongoing outreach efforts with school nurses across the state.
Click here to watch the conference.
NOTE:
- Learn more about opioids at https://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/
Director/Pages/opioids/home. aspx - If you or anyone that you know has information about drug trafficking in Alaska, please call the Alaska State Troopers at (907) 451-5100, or to remain anonymous, submit a tip on the AKtips smartphone app or online at: https://www.dps.alaska.gov/
tips.
