From: Tuyet Anh Le
Columbus
I am writing as a young health professional and longtime Indiana resident. Growing up in Columbus, I have been able to see the community grow and develop over time in a lot of beautiful ways, but I have also witnessed firsthand how issues such as the overdose crisis have gotten worse with the lacing of substances with fentanyl. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Indiana has had an increase in overdose deaths with 2,755 deaths accounted for in 2021. Officials have estimated that about 85% of those deaths are due to fentanyl lacing, meaning that a majority of those Hoosiers could have still been here — their overdoses were preventable if they had been able to test their substances. Unfortunately, the Indiana criminal code uses language that criminalizes the possession of fentanyl strips — lifesaving tools that could have prevented a majority of those overdoses accounted for in 2021.
The reality is that the fentanyl overdose crisis is tearing our communities apart. The attitudes toward substance users are so harsh and cruel — these are our fellow community members,our neighbors, our friends, our loved ones. Their lives are of value, and I am tired of seeing their dignity stripped away through the criminalization of these basic recovery tools. There needs to be more solid solutions for prevention, treatment, and harm reduction — not criminalization of fentanyl test strips that can help save lives and prompt pathways for recovery.
Our state senators have the opportunity to do this through supporting the House Bill 1053, a bill that will decriminalize and increase access to fentanyl test strips. Call your state senators and tell them to support HB 1053! We need more funding to go toward harm reduction and recovery resources that are currently not available.
Too many of our community members have lost their lives to this overdose crisis, and I dream of a future Indiana that will foster stronger pathways to healing, recovery, and community care.
