Attorney General Kris Mayes took a firm stand alongside Representative Ruben Gallego and Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway at a recent press conference, where they demanded Congress to act decisively on border reforms and put money into fentanyl detection technology. This push comes in response to the surging fentanyl crisis that's hitting Arizona hard, with the state reportedly being the entry point for a significant portion of fentanyl finding its way into the United States.
"Arizona has been flooded with cheap and deadly fentanyl – with over half of the fentanyl seized in the United States in recent years being seized in Arizona," Mayes stated. Critics of the legislative inaction point out that bipartisan security bills are being blocked, threatening both public health and border security. Rep. Gallego backed up this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of resources for border communities in ensuring the safety and economic continuity of Arizona, as reported by the office of the Arizona Attorney General.
In the battle against this widespread issue, Attorney General Mayes has mobilized efforts to tackle the fentanyl crisis head-on. Early this year, her office announced the seizure of over half a million fentanyl pills. Mayes did not mince words when discussing the role of Mexican drug cartels in exacerbating the crisis, calling Arizona the "fentanyl funnel for the rest of the nation" — a direct quote from the aforementioned press release.
The state's strategies are not confined to seizures and law enforcement. AG Mayes's office is also launching prevention and awareness campaigns, such as a PSA contest on fentanyl awareness aimed at college students across the state. This initiative, alongside the distribution of 55,000 naloxone kits funded through Arizona's share of the national opioid settlement dollars, shows a multipronged approach at play. Each move is designed to educate and protect the public, particularly the youth, from the ravages of fentanyl, as outlined in the Attorney General's press release.
AG Mayes, Rep. Gallego, and Sheriff Hathaway are urging action. Arizona and the nation are looking to Congress. With the fentanyl crisis ongoing, people are waiting for aid to arrive to address this critical issue affecting Arizonans.
