In 2021, we lost 241 Idahoans to opioid addiction related causes, and saw over 5,000 emergency department visits related to drug overdoses. In 2022, Idaho Governor Brad Little and former Attorney General Lawrence Wasden announced a $119 million settlement with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and three major distributors who have played a significant role in the opioid addiction crisis. This settlement is the second-largest in Idaho state history, behind the 1998 national tobacco settlement.
Just recently, Governor Little announced the launch of the “Fentanyl Takes All” campaign, partially funded by opioid settlement funds, to raise awareness of the prevalence and dangers of Fentanyl use in Idaho.
Panelists:
- Rosie Andueza, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
- Mark Babson, Ada County Paramedics
- Evan Burke, Idaho Harm Reduction Project
Moderated by City Club programs committee member Corey Surber, Director of State Advocacy at Saint Alphonsus Health System.