SAN DIEGO — California officials announced government agencies seized enough fentanyl in California alone to potentially kill every person in North America twice.
“The opioid crisis has touched every part of California, and our nation, this year. As we mourn the many lives lost, California is working harder than ever to fight this crisis and protect people from these dangerous drugs to ensure our communities are kept safe in the first place,” said Governor Newsom.
Governor Newsom's office reported 28,765 pounds of fentanyl was seized by law enforcement with support from the California National Guard in support of law enforcement during 2022.
Officials estimated the street value of the seized fentanyl at more than $230 million, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
More than 100 new National Guard members were hired, trained, and embedded to support the state's initiative to reduce deadly fentanyl in communities, according to a press release shared with CBS 8.
"California is cracking down on the fentanyl crisis - increasing seizures, making resources more available to Californians, and ensuring communities have what they need to combat the immeasurable harm opioids have caused our society, our communities, and our loved ones,” Governor Newsom clarified in a statement.
The state's devotion to cracking down on the fentanyl crisis was partly observed through funding, including more than 1 billion dollars invested as part of Governor Newsom's push to combat the opioid crisis.
California Health and Human Services Agency invested $450 million to combat the crisis in the 2022 fiscal year.
WATCH RELATED: Deep dive into the fentanyl crisis in San Diego
