Monday night, Bridgeport City Council member Lowell Maxey shared a Nov. 29 news conference which was held at the U.S. Department of Justice. Featuring U.S. Attorney General Jeff B. Sessions and DEA Acting Administrator Robert W. Patterson, who announced their agencies’ vital role in attacking the country’s opioid epidemic.

 

“We are facing the deadliest drug crises in American history,” Sessions said in the video. “We’ve never seen a death rate like this; 64,000 died last year – based on data – of overdoses and the rate continues. For those under the age of 50, drug overdose is the leading cause of death.”

 

Sessions said President Donald Trump understands the gravity of the situation and has great passion for the issue. He has taken steps declaring a public health emergency and appropriating $1 billion in the nation’s new budget for anti-opioid efforts.

Heading up efforts from Washington is White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway. The executive issue ordered includes the enforcement of laws to keep illegal drugs out of the country and all efforts to prevent and stop drug addiction, including prescribed controlled substances. Drug take-back efforts sponsored by the DEA and police departments across the country resulted in 900 tons of unused prescription drugs, getting them “off the street before they could fall into the wrong hands,” Sessions said. Federal and state law enforcement agents charged and arrested more than 100 defendants, many of whom were physicians, pharmacists and other professionals.

 

Fentanyl is a big current threat, much of the supply coming from China, but also available – as are many other drugs – through Darknet market.

 

Sessions announced a trio of initiatives being launched. One, he said, is to “Back the Blue” through state and federal grants to support law enforcement in taking elicit drugs off the market.

 

Another initiative is the ordering of all U.S. Attorney General offices to designate an opioid coordinator to serve as “community quarterback.”

The third initiative drives the point home that the drug crisis is in the immediate area. Sessions announced the establishment of a new DEA field division in Louisville. Staffed with 90 special agents, the field division – the first the DEA has established in 20 years – will serve the Appalachian area of West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee; some of the opioid “hot spots” across the country.

 

“…We cannot slow down for one day or even one instant,” Sessions said. “With one American dying of drug overdose every nine minutes, our laws are more important than ever. We need to use every lawful tool we have and we will.”

 

Death rates can be stunning and discouraging, Sessions said.

 

“But we can and we will turn the tide,” he said.

 

Patterson said the DEA is utilizing all available means to fight this fight. Included is the establishment of 77 tactical diversion squads across the country; their sole purpose being the investigation of controlled substances.

 

He specifically mentioned that West Virginia has been hit hard and is working to employ additional resources.

 

Following the video presentation, Maxey – a former DEA agent – made some comments. He said the establishment of the new DEA field division does not change the role of the tactical diversion squad located in Clarksburg.

 

“West Virginia was under the Washington field division, Tennessee was under Atlanta and Kentucky was under the Detroit field division of the DEA,” he said. “These three states are the primary focus of the opioid problem targeted by the Attorney General and DEA. And the DEA saw fit to form an entirely new field division based in Louisville. Three states report to that field division and the special agent in charge and the existing agents and task force officers in those three states report to the Louisville field division.”

 

The information and initiatives released in the news conference reinforces the fact that the drug epidemic is right in our own backyard and that our local tactical diversion squad must be staffed by the best men and women for the job. 

 

Graphics above are provided by the 2016 West Virginia Overdose Fatality Analysis: Healthcare Systems Utilization, Risk Factors and Opportunities for Invervention; a handout distributed Monday night to Council members by Maxey. See the document in its entirety HERE

 

Those who want to learn more about the drug crises can read a handout provided to Council members by Maxey, HERE.

 

Read coverage of Monday's City Council meeting HERE.