Position Statement

On December 15, the Trump administration, through an executive order, classified fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD), casting those who use and sell fentanyl as purveyors of a hazardous, toxic substance in the same class as Anthrax and Ricin. While the ramifications of this classification are unclear, the designation itself has the power to cause irreparable harm by contributing to the stigma and dehumanization of people who use drugs, fueling misinformation about fentanyl, and diverting needed resources and legislative attention away from proven solutions to the overdose crisis.

This country is in the midst of an overdose crisis. According to the CDC for the year 2021, there were 109,179 overdose deaths. It is estimated that in the US, over 1,000,000 people will die of overdose between 2020 and 2029. For over 100 years this country has sought to eliminate illicit drug use by interdicting drugs at our borders and through the arrest and incarceration of those who use and sell drugs. The failure of these supply-side tactics is evident in 109,179 overdose deaths in one year and potentially 1,000,000 or more deaths in this decade. If we want to save lives, we must look past the failed policies of the past and embrace interventions based on public health, Harm Reduction, and science.

This nation is experiencing an unprecedented increase in overdose deaths resulting in over 100,000 deaths per year. Two out of three of these overdose deaths involve illicitly manufactured fentanyl. In response to this overdose crisis, several states have enacted Drug-Induced Homicide (DIH) Laws. The number of prosecutions under DIH laws has continued to increase as the number of overdose deaths has increased. We, the Board of Directors of Broken No More, find these DIH laws and the resulting prosecutions to be misguided in their intent, naïve in the beliefs underpinning their use, and damaging to individuals, families, and society as a whole.

As a medical condition, Broken No More recognizes that the best treatment for opioid use disorder is medication. This recognition is supported by almost 50 years of research. Research that has overwhelmingly demonstrated that the use of methadone, and since 2002, the use of buprenorphine to treat this disorder provides those suffering from this illness the best possible opportunity to obtain remission from their disorder, to become well, and to remain alive.