Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, vice president of government affairs for the Major County Sheriffs of America, testified before Congress Feb. 6, sounding the alarm on the devastating impact of fentanyl across the country. Speaking on behalf of law enforcement leaders nationwide, Bouchard emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to tackling the crisis, combining strong enforcement with widespread public education and prevention efforts.
“We’ve actually found, outside of our legal supply chain of marijuana, that illegal marijuana has been tampered with and laced with fentanyl,” said Bouchard. “This is incredibly dangerous, and it highlights the need for a regulated, inspected process to prevent such adulteration.”
Bouchard warned that counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl are increasingly prevalent, often disguised as common medications like Adderall. He cited heartbreaking examples of unsuspecting victims, including a young woman who took what she thought was half an Adderall but was unknowingly ingesting a lethal dose of fentanyl.
“Often, they have no idea what they’re getting,” he explained. “Kids may buy a pill thinking it will help them study for finals, not realizing it’s a counterfeit press made by the cartels. It doesn’t matter what demographic you’re in—you could be a victim of this if you take anything without knowing where it came from or who made it.”
The fentanyl crisis, fueled by cartel activity and the widespread availability of counterfeit drugs, is a national emergency that requires a multi-faceted response, Bouchard stressed.
“We can’t tackle this crisis without a comprehensive approach that combines strong law enforcement with effective programming,” he said. “We must push that educational information out there to protect our communities.”
Bouchard’s testimony underscored the urgent need for coordinated action at the federal, state, and local levels to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States and to raise public awareness about the dangers of illicit drugs.
Oakland County is leading the state in piloting new FDA-approved opioid antagonists that can provide alternative recovery methods for people who inadvertently overdose.
“Sometimes it takes three or four doses of naloxone to bring someone out of a dangerous overdose situation,” Bouchard said. “We’re trying to find helpful alternatives.”
“We’ve actually found, outside of our legal supply chain of marijuana, that illegal marijuana has been tampered with and laced with fentanyl,” said Bouchard. “This is incredibly dangerous, and it highlights the need for a regulated, inspected process to prevent such adulteration.”
Bouchard warned that counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl are increasingly prevalent, often disguised as common medications like Adderall. He cited heartbreaking examples of unsuspecting victims, including a young woman who took what she thought was half an Adderall but was unknowingly ingesting a lethal dose of fentanyl.
“Often, they have no idea what they’re getting,” he explained. “Kids may buy a pill thinking it will help them study for finals, not realizing it’s a counterfeit press made by the cartels. It doesn’t matter what demographic you’re in—you could be a victim of this if you take anything without knowing where it came from or who made it.”
The fentanyl crisis, fueled by cartel activity and the widespread availability of counterfeit drugs, is a national emergency that requires a multi-faceted response, Bouchard stressed.
“We can’t tackle this crisis without a comprehensive approach that combines strong law enforcement with effective programming,” he said. “We must push that educational information out there to protect our communities.”
Bouchard’s testimony underscored the urgent need for coordinated action at the federal, state, and local levels to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States and to raise public awareness about the dangers of illicit drugs.
Oakland County is leading the state in piloting new FDA-approved opioid antagonists that can provide alternative recovery methods for people who inadvertently overdose.
“Sometimes it takes three or four doses of naloxone to bring someone out of a dangerous overdose situation,” Bouchard said. “We’re trying to find helpful alternatives.”
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