California has launched a fentanyl task force, announced by Senator Kelly Seyarto. The task force is aimed at tackling the state's rising issue with fentanyl. "Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) is proud to announce that SB 19, establishing the California Fentanyl Task Force, has been signed into law," said an official.
As per an Oct. 24 news release from Sen. Kelly Seyarto, the new law called "SB 19" will establish the “California Fentanyl Task Force". This initiative will bring together both local and state resources to find effective strategies for addressing challenges related to the fentanyl crisis. The focus of this task force would be spreading awareness about the crisis, developing treatment strategies and preventative measures, and improving public safety in general.
The gravity of this initiative is highlighted by disturbing statistics. In 2020 alone, nearly 4,000 fentanyl-related deaths were recorded in California, making it the leading cause of death for Americans between 18 and 45 years of age. Stable solutions have remained hard to find despite earlier legislative efforts. A similar proposal introduced earlier by Seyarto did not advance; however, with bipartisan approval of SB 19 a significant stride forward has been made in California's commitment to address this life-threatening issue.
The release informs that this task force will comprise a diverse group which includes healthcare workers, public health experts and law enforcement officials to ensure a holistic approach towards fighting this crisis. Emphasizing on the importance of such a coalition Seyarto pointed out how crucial it was to combine these experts' knowledge for identifying necessary resources and holding those responsible for manufacturing and distributing fentanyl accountable. He asserted that with sufficient resources at disposal managing this epidemic could become achievable.