SAN DIEGO — California Attorney General Bonta and San Diego Mayor Gloria joined other officials at a closed-door meeting to discuss efforts to combat fentanyl distribution on Wednesday.
CBS8 was able to speak with Chairwoman Nora Vargas before she joined the conference. She said the best way to tackle it is by intervention, and that starts with getting the youth involved.
“I have heard stories from numerous community members who have lost lives [and] will never come back and so we have a responsibility as a government to bring together not only public safety but all of the interventions that are available to us and being able to allocate those funds," Chairwoman Vargas said.
Vargas recognizes the number of deaths that the illicit drug has brought to the county. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office has recorded more than 1,700 fentanyl-related deaths since January 2019.
“We have to make sure that all the different to interventions including education for the community and all the investment that the community has already done and the numerous deaths has to continue to be a top priority,” Chairwoman Vargas said.
It’s claimed the lives of more than 400 San Diegans in 2022 alone – and more than 800 countywide.
To put in perspective how lethal the illicit drug is, just two milligrams of fentanyl — which is equal to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose, according to the DEA.
Without laboratory testing, there is no way to know how much fentanyl is concentrated in a pill or powder.
In response to the high number of deaths, law enforcement nationwide as well as in San Diego County, have fought to raise awareness over the dangers of fentanyl.
Officials are taking it a step further by discussing strategies and actions to address the growing problem.
A press conference will follow the closed-door roundtable among civic leaders and officials from law enforcement as well as public health agencies.