Supervisor Ortiz-Velez Resolution Supporting Fentanyl Testing Strip Legalization Advances
MILWAUKEE – Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez is calling on the State of Wisconsin to legalize fentanyl testing strips. The County’s Intergovernmental Relations Committee unanimously endorsed the resolution last week, and the Board of Supervisors will vote on it later this month.
“Milwaukee County has experienced the greatest suffering from opiate overdoses of all jurisdictions in Wisconsin,” said Supervisor Ortiz-Velez. “Last year opiate overdose deaths continued to be higher than homicides, suicides, and motor vehicle accidents combined.”
Overdose deaths in Milwaukee County have reached record highs according to a recent Wisconsin Public Radio article citing data from the National Center for Health Statistics. A significant number of opioid-related overdoses involve fentanyl, which is increasingly added to heroin, cocaine, and other drugs without the knowledge of drug users.
Under current state law, possessing fentanyl testing strips is illegal, for both community members and first responders. Without access to testing strips, drug users risk overdose from the otherwise undetectable presence of fentanyl.
“Fentanyl testing strips can be used to detect the presence of fentanyl in a substance and prevent accidental overdoses,” Supervisor Ortiz-Velez said. “Law enforcement officers and emergency medical technicians are among the first to encounter cases of suspected overdoses and their ability to ascertain if fentanyl was involved changes the protocol and allows first responders to keep themselves safe.”
Supervisor Ortiz-Velez’s proposal has overwhelming community support, including from founder of TEAM HAVOC and Milwaukee Heroin Diaries Rafael Mercado, God Touch Ministries pastor Marty Calderon, and State Senator Lena Taylor.
Supervisors Willie Johnson Jr., Eddie Cullen, Ryan Clancy, Steven Shea, Sequanna Taylor, and Joseph J. Czarnezki were added as co-sponsors to the resolution and spoke passionately about the need to address overdose deaths in Milwaukee County.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to consider the item Thursday, July 29.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Opioid Crisis
- Baldwin Backed Legislation to Crack Down on Fentanyl Traffickers Heads to President’s Desk - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Apr 24th, 2024
- Legislature Stalls Opioid Settlement Funds. Again - Erik Gunn - Apr 23rd, 2024
- Milwaukee Bucks Legend Marques Johnson Joins Forces with Serenity Inns to Combat Opioid Epidemic in Milwaukee - Serenity Inns - Apr 23rd, 2024
- Law Enforcement Agencies Awarded Grants from State Opioid Settlement Funds - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 18th, 2024
- MKE County: County Wins Award for Opioid Settlement Fund Usage - Graham Kilmer - Apr 4th, 2024
- MKE County: County Offering $2.8 Million For Opioid Addiction Programs - Graham Kilmer - Mar 28th, 2024
- Senator Baldwin Calls on House to Pass Bill that Cracks Down on Fentanyl Traffickers - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Feb 15th, 2024
- Attorney General Josh Kaul announces $350 million settlement with marketing firm over its role in opioid epidemic - Wisconsin Department of Justice - Feb 1st, 2024
- Grants Will Fund Recovery Housing For Those Facing Homelessness and Battling Opioids - Margaret Faust - Jan 12th, 2024
- Baldwin Helps Advance Bipartisan Bill to Address Opioid and Fentanyl Crisis - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Dec 14th, 2023
Read more about Opioid Crisis here
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Recent Press Releases by State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez
