Page 14 - The Indian EYE 102023

COMMUNITY OP-ED OCTOBER 20, 2023 | The Indian Eye 14

Keeping Our Communities in New York

City Safe from the Fentanyl Crisis

Drug traffickers are increasingly mixing fentanyl with other illicit drugs to drive addiction and
create repeat business. Over 3,000 people fatally overdosed in New York City in 2022,

with fentanyl detected in 81 percent of drug overdose deaths

• Creating a multi-city task force
that will meet again before the end
of the year;
• Drafting a comprehensive plan
outlining national best practices
and opportunities;
• Expanding data-sharing to the na-
tional level to ensure accurate and
timely coordination around lab
and overdose data;
• Identifying and securing city, state,
and national funding and legis-
lative needs to prevent overdose
deaths and save lives,
• Developing community outreach
strategies to better understand be-
ERIC ADAMS havioral dynamics associated with
drug abuse, and
• Taking steps to reduce the stigma
ublic safety is our administra- around addiction and substance
tion’s top priority, and keep- abuse so that those suffering from
Ping New Yorkers safe from the addiction can get help before it is
growing threat of fentanyl is a core New York City has already taken significant steps to combat the fentanyl crisis, too late.
part of that mission. We all came away from this sum-
including intensive enforcement that has resulted in multiple arrests of drug dealers and mit with a renewed determination to
traffickers (File photo) stop the flow of fentanyl into our cit-
All of us have heard about the ies, hold bad actors accountable, and
danger fentanyl poses to our der control. significant steps to combat the fentan- invest in evidence-based interven-
Last week, we hosted a two-day
tions that protect New Yorkers and all
children and our communities. summit on the fentanyl crisis that yl crisis, including intensive enforce- Americans from this dangerous drug.
ment that has resulted in multiple
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid brought elected leaders, public health arrests of drug dealers and traffickers, We cannot sit back and let what
that is approximately 50 times officials, and law enforcement profes- including the recent arrest of a man happened to prior generations hap-
pen to our babies and families. We
transporting almost 30 pounds of fen-
sionals from across the country to New
more potent than heroin and York City to work towards a national tanyl bricks in a rolling suitcase on the cannot repeat the mistakes that were
100 times more potent than strategy to combat fentanyl overdoses. subway and on the sidewalks of a busy made that led to the epidemics of her-
oin in the 1960s and crack cocaine in
Bronx neighborhood.
The summit included represen-
morphine. It is inexpensive, tatives from major cities across the In addition to expanded enforce- the 1980s.
I was working as a police officer
widely available, highly addic- nation, including Los Angeles, Phila- ment, we are actively working with the during the 1980s, and I saw how crack
New York City Department of Health
delphia, New Orleans, Laredo, New
tive, and extremely dangerous. Haven, Austin, Dallas, St. Louis, and Mental Hygiene and other agen- devastated our communities because
Washington D.C., Portland, San Di- cies to bolster our harm reduction the resources were not there. We must
Drug traffickers are increasingly ego, Atlanta, and more. We focused strategies. We have increased our do everything in our power to confront
mixing fentanyl with other illicit drugs on all aspects of the crisis – including support for prevention, substance use — and defeat —the fentanyl crisis. That
to drive addiction and create repeat education, enforcement, awareness, disorder treatment and recovery pro- means education, that means treat-
business. Over 3,000 people fatally prevention, and treatment. Over grams citywide, and distributed more ment, and that means enforcement.
overdosed in New York City in 2022, the course of two days and multiple than 77,000 Naloxone kits and tens of The summit reminded us that we
with fentanyl detected in 81 percent of strategy sessions, we were able to ex- thousands of fentanyl and xylazine test are always stronger and better when
drug overdose deaths. change ideas, learn from intervention strips. We have also made Naloxone we work together. I know that, with
The tragic death of Nicholas models across municipalities, and more available in primary care offices, our partners from across the country,
Dominici, the toddler who died after help build a comprehensive strategy emergency rooms, correctional, reen- we can and we will reduce overdoses,
being exposed to fentanyl at a day- to address one of the most important try, and homeless outreach settings. save lives, and protect our children
care center, was a shocking and heart- public health and public safety issues At the conclusion of the summit, par- and our communities.
breaking reminder that we must take of our time. ticipants agreed on key actions to address Eric Adams is
immediate action to get this crisis un- New York City has already taken the ongoing fentanyl crisis, including: the Mayor of New York City, NY

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