Fentanyl deaths in NC have more than doubled. What we can do.
As a North Carolina mother and nurse, I know from experience that the specter of counterfeit and tainted drugs is a nightmare for North Carolina’s parents. It looms large among the hundreds of worries they shoulder over their children's safety.
In our state, the local news cycle is constantly peppered with heartbreaking narratives of young individuals falling victim to just one counterfeit pill that was stealthily laced with fentanyl, leading to senseless deaths. While fentanyl is responsible for driving up overdose deaths across the country, the Tar Heel State has felt its wrath more than most states have in recent years, where fentanyl overdoses have more than doubled since 2019.
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A sobering report by North Carolina’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner showed that, in 2020, overdose deaths reached a record high. Many of these cases involved counterfeit drugs, as 95% of the deaths were accidental.
All too quickly, these stories can become mere statistics in our national conversation, but we cannot lose sight of the real victims whose potentials have been robbed from the fabric of our communities. We cannot accept living with this pervasive danger. Every level of government must focus on how they can reduce it.
NC cannot confront fentanyl crisis alone
Fortunately, North Carolina’s elected officials are taking positive action to address this situation with the seriousness it deserves.
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In 2021, the North Carolina legislature enacted the Stop Counterfeit Pill Act, updating our state’s laws to tackle the illicit counterfeit drug trade head-on. This bill will “modernize the existing law to make sure that those illegal drug dealers receive a penalty that has the full weight of the laws of our state.” As a result, more of these criminal groups will be held accountable and more of our children will be protected from their dangerous fake drugs.
While North Carolina is making significant, tangible steps to combat this public health epidemic, the state can’t confront the crisis alone. That’s why recent legislation on the federal level from North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis is so important. His bill, called the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, is primarily aimed at reducing our dependence on China and other adversaries for critical medical supplies.
We cannot rely on China, other adversaries
Relying on China and other adversaries is not just dangerous because of the obvious national security fear of China cutting off this supply chain to us in the event of a conflict. Doing so also exacerbates the scourge of the counterfeit drugs issue.
Between 2021 and 2022 new drug shortages increased by nearly 30% as a result of China’s disruptions in manufacturing. When these types of shortages proliferate, more patients have no choice but to go outside the legitimate market for drugs and become victims of counterfeit schemes (often on the internet).
Senator Tillis’ proposal is a smart and comprehensive approach that will enhance the integrity and security of our medical supply chain. Since North Carolina already has a strong pharmaceutical manufacturing presence, our state is also poised to benefit with more good-paying jobs.
The more we strengthen and onshore our supply chains, the easier it will be to police counterfeit drugs and crack down on them at their source, reducing the chances they will ever reach our youth’s hands.
Safeguarding the state’s most valuable asset
We are at a critical juncture, and it is heartening to see the issue of drug safety being catapulted to the forefront of this state’s legislative agenda. That said, there is still much work to be done. North Carolina needs leadership at the national level to put the criminals on defense. We owe it to our children and communities to tackle this issue with all the resources we have at our disposal.
As we push forward, we must remain vigilant, unified, and undeterred in our quest to safeguard the health and futures of North Carolina’s most valuable asset: its children.
Renee Ellmers, a registered nurse, is a former member of Congress from North Carolina, representing Harnett County.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Heartbreaking narratives: How NC, Congress can take fight to deadly drugs
