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Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft a resolution declaring fentanyl and opioid overdose a Public Health Crisis; and
Request City Manager to work with Health and Human Services Department, in collaboration with Long Beach Unified School District, to develop an informational outreach campaign to educate high school students and parents about the dangers of fentanyl and opioid use.
DISCUSSION
Since 1999, the United States has experienced an opioid overdose epidemic. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioid overdose deaths quadrupled between 1999 and 2019. This issue has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the 12-month period ending in May 2020 saw the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a year by the CDC, who suggest the pandemic accelerated rates beyond expectation. This is particularly concerning when considering the impact it has had on younger, more vulnerable populations. In Los Angeles County, the crude rate of opioid-related death among people aged 15-19 increased by 248.8% from Q2 of 2019 to Q2 of 2020. A major driver increasing overdose deaths has been the surge of fentanyl being consumed. Fentanyl is a synthetic drug similar to morphine that is 50 to 100 times more potent. Although it can be prescribed, the drug is also made and used illegally; fentanyl is often combined with other drugs and pressed into pills that resemble prescription opioids, contributing to its reputation as a “street drug” and increasing risk for consumers. According to the CDC, synthetic opioids contributed to over 82% of all opioid-related deaths in 2020. Fentanyl was also responsible for the seven overdoses and one death among Los Angeles Unified School District students in September of 2022.
The Long Beach Health and Human Services Department’s (Health Department) website currently has a page dedicated to information on preventing opioid abuse and overdose. The site contains a media campaign developed by the...
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