COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers is joining fellow mayors and several members of law enforcement in criticizing a recent fentanyl-related bill.
Suthers joined Mayor Michael Hancock of Denver, District Attorney Michael Allen and members of Colorado law enforcement in asserting that the bill does not adequately address the nature and extent of the Fentanyl problem in the state.
“The Colorado Legislature needs to start listening more to law enforcement and others responsible for public safety, and less to organizations whose objective it is to minimize the consequences for criminal behavior,” Suthers said.
Under the bill, possession of up to four grams of fentanyl, an amount sufficient to kill dozens of people, remains a misdemeanor. Also per the bill, a person who sells less than four grams to someone who dies as a result, is eligible for probation. Finally, a person who sells fentanyl to someone who dies from an overdose can completely avoid prosecution by reporting the incident and cooperating with the investigation.
The bill, and its consequential debate, comes as fentanyl deaths in Colorado continue to rise. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Colorado has recorded 1,578 fentanyl-related deaths since 2015, a 1008% increase.
As the rise in fentanyl deaths continues, politicians, members of law enforcement, and Colorado families are banding together to raise awareness about the dangerous drug and to remove it from Colorado’s streets.