Grand Canyon Times

Overdose deaths in Arizona and across the U.S. have increased dramatically in the last two years. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that there were 107,622 overdose deaths in 2021.

The CDC says overdose deaths have decreased in 2021 from 2019-20, when they rose by 30%. Overdose deaths are primarily caused by opioids, specifically fentanyl, but also methamphetamine and cocaine. Fentanyl was the cause of approximately 80,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2021.

According to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), the number of confirmed opioid deaths in the state rose 55% from 2019 (1,294 deaths) to 2021 (2,006 deaths).

U.S. Customs and Border Protection published a news release on the apprehension of $4.3 million dollars worth of fentanyl in Gila Bend, Arizona, about 80 miles north of the border, in August. The CBP reports fentanyl seizures are a top priority for border patrol and police, as just 2 mg can cause an overdose.

An August press release from the Southern District of California Department of Justice says that San Diego is seeing the most fentanyl seizures. San Diego border patrol has seized 5,091 pounds of fentanyl, about 60% of the total seizures in the U.S. The press release says Mexican cartels are the primary producers and carriers of fentanyl and other opioids. The drugs are imported from China and then changed into pills or powder to be distributed in the U.S.

“A decade ago, we didn’t even know about fentanyl, and now it’s a national crisis… The amount of fentanyl we are seizing at the border is staggering. The number of fentanyl seizures and fentanyl-related deaths in our district are unprecedented,” U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said, according to the press release. 

“Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous narcotic that kills indiscriminately,” Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz said, according to the press release. “Fentanyl is not the type of drug you experiment with, and it is only a matter of time before drug users consume a fatal dose.”

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that Mexican cartels are disguising fentanyl by combining it with other opioids like heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, which makes the drugs more lethal. The DEA says 1 kg of fentanyl has the potential for 500,000 overdoses. Someone can take a pill, believing it to be something else, but it could be laced with fentanyl. Overdose deaths from fentanyl rose by 55.8% from January 2020 to January 2021.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) wrote that the Biden administration is not doing enough to fight the opioid crisis at the border in an op-ed for The Washington Times. Scott claims President Joe Biden is doing nothing to help. He argues Biden’s “open border policies” have contributed to the rise in overdose deaths with a record number of people in the country illegally and illegal drugs entering the U.S. An increase in overdose deaths is being seen all over the US, not just in border states like Arizona, Scott says.

Since Biden took office in January 2021, border patrol has had over 3.3 million encounters with illegal immigrants on the Southwest border. In the 2021 fiscal year, there were 1,734,686 encounters. So far in the fiscal year 2022, there have been 2,150,639 encounters, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Total number of encounters in fiscal years 2021 and 2022 adds up to 3,885,325. Nationwide encounters total is over 4 million.

In a recent interview with MSNBC, Vice President Kamala Harris said, "The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system." Chuck Todd asked, "We're going to have 2 million people cross the border this year for the first time ever. You're confident this border is secure?" Harris replied, "We have a secure border, in that that is a priority for any nation, including ours and our administration."

Grand Canyon Times reached out to U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) for comment on the issue, but did not receive a response.