Category Archives: Drug Offenses

Drug Use Still Significant Among U.S. Workers

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Studies, Uncategorized, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , ,

Despite the surge of people who embraced healthier lifestyles amid the new perspectives they’d gained during the pandemic, drug use remains significant among U.S. workers. Recent data analysis by testing company Quest Diagnostics found that nearly 20 percent of employees generated positive results for a range of illicit substances in 2025. This usage reflects potentially reflecting recurring or chronic drug use.

Nearly one in five workers in the general U.S. workforce (19.1%) tested positive for drug use based on an analysis of hair specimens collected in 2025. This brings an increase of nearly 46% compared to 13.1% in 2021. That included higher detection of narcotics like cocaine, methamphetamine, and amphetamines among employees.

Marijuana led the list of drugs identified—by far, constituting more than 53 percent of all positive tests. That increase likely reflects the growing number of states legalizing medical or recreational cannabis consumption—or both—and slower moves by businesses to scratch pot off their banned substances lists.

DETECTION OF OPIOIDS DECLINING

The good news was that positive testing for opioids among workers finally fell. This comes after years of increased use left millions of lives wrecked or entirely snuffed out. That’s likely a result of governments and companies having appreciated the deadly threat that drugs like fentanyl pose to workers, as well as the efforts they’ve made to detect and dissuade use of the drugs.

“Year-over-year fentanyl positivity declined by nearly half (49.1 percent) in the general U.S. workforce (0.55 percent in 2024 vs. 0.28 percent in 2025) . . . This decline may indicate that employers are taking steps to address fentanyl use, often present alongside other substances such as marijuana, through expanded testing, education, and deterrence strategies.” ~Quest Diagnostic Report

DESPITE DECLINES, WORKPLACE OVER-DOSAGES STILL HAPPEN

Despite decreasing opioid detection rates, other data indicates how the risk of fentanyl use and overdose remains something employers need to be concerned about. This issue is precisely what the Department of Labor’s new guidelines are seeking to close amid the continued risk of workplace opioid overdoses.

“Because fentanyl has infiltrated the illicit drug landscape and acts as a chemical weapon against our people, it is critically important that the American workforce is familiar with drug overdose recognition and reversal . . . I am grateful to the Department of Labor for informing employers and workers about life-saving overdose-reversal treatments like Naloxone.” ~White House Drug Czar Sara Carter

Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a Drug Offense or any other crime. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

Study Addresses Link Between Cannabis & Violence

Assault, Bellingham Defense Attorney, Diminished Capacity, Drug Offenses, marijuana, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Uncategorized, Violent Crime, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , , ,

Recent research has found a link between cannabis use and increased violent behavior. The UK journal Psychological Medicine published findings that people who regularly used cannabis were significantly more likely to commit a violent act than non-users. They were also more likely to be a victim of a violent act. Though the research doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect link, it suggests that cannabis use might be an important and potentially modifiable risk factor for interpersonal violence.

Cannabis use is a known risk factor for adverse mental health outcomes, including psychosis, which is frequently associated with aggression. However, the specific impact of cannabis use on the risk of violence remains unclear.

THE STUDY’S METHODOLOGY

This study’s meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, and synthesized evidence from 63 peer-reviewed studies.  This effort was done to clarify the link between cannabis use and violence, either as a perpetrator or as a victim. In short, Random-effects models revealed that cannabis users are at a significantly higher risk of perpetrating violent acts. This association was observed in both psychiatric patients  and the general population, and remained significant across both longitudinal and cross-sectional study designs.

There was an especially large effect for violence involving a criminal conviction in both general and psychiatric populations. Furthermore, cannabis use was significantly associated with an increased risk of becoming a victim of violence, a risk more pronounced in females and mixed-gender cohorts compared to males. This meta-analysis indicates an increased risk of violence, especially that resulting in a criminal conviction, among cannabis users. It also highlights the potential of cannabis use as a target for interventions to decrease violence, and underscores the need for routine assessment of cannabis use among psychiatric patients.

WHY DOES CANNABIS USE INFLUENCE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR?

According to the study, possible explanations for the association between cannabis use, particularly high doses, and violence include impairments in attention, executive function, inhibition, and problem-solving abilities. Prolonged heavy use can also influence mood and emotional regulation, including feelings of anger and hostility. Moreover, during periods of cannabis withdrawal, individuals may experience irritability, anxiety, restlessness, and impaired functioning, potentially leading to aggressiveness. Most importantly, regular cannabis use increases the likelihood of experiencing paranoia, causing individuals to interpret neutral stimuli as potentially threatening, leading individuals to believe that they must defend themselves.

In addition, cannabis users tend to exhibit higher levels of impulsivity and engage in more risk-taking behaviors, which could lead to antisocial and criminal activities as part of their lifestyle. These mechanisms represent only one component of the broader relationship between drugs and violence, which has also been conceptualized as involving psycho-pharmacological, economic-compulsive and systemic pathways. However, these psycho-pharmacological mechanisms are unlikely to fully explain the observed association.

The study also found that cannabis use frequently co-occurs with a range of individual, social and environmental factors, including impulsivity, antisocial traits, adverse socioeconomic circumstances and exposure to violent environments, that may independently contribute to violence risk. The available evidence therefore suggests that the association between cannabis use and violence is likely to reflect multiple interacting pathways rather than a single direct causal mechanism.

Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a Drug Offense, Assault, or any other crime. Potential defenses to some crimes may include Diminished Capacity and Voluntary Intoxication. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

Study: Forest Fire Smoke Leads to Increased Criminal Activity

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Uncategorized, Violent Crime, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , , ,

Summer approaches. And with it, wildfires are on the rise. In Washington State, the wildfire season usually begins in early July and typically culminates in early October when regular rain returns to the Northwest. around the globe. Ever more frequent, severe and longer lasting fire hotspots are expanding to new territories, as the fingers of climate change reach farther around the planet. This isn’t just hazardous to our physical health, it’s impacting people’s mental wellbeing as well.

Interestingly, the most insidious threat is only now being understood. New research has found that wherever the smoke goes, a rise in crime may not be far behind.

THE REPORT

Doctoral researcher Lion Kircheis is a political scientist from the University of Konstanz. He analysed crime report data from the Seattle Police Department from 2013 to 2023, and identified smoky days caused by wildfires on the basis of satellite data, analyses of wind direction and local monitoring stations.

What he found surprised him. According to his report, For 11 years, assaults were higher on days when nearby wildfires had released smoke and particulate matter into the Seattle air. anD when the particulate matter increased by 7.0 μg m−3, there were 3.6 per cent more assaults on these smoky days.

“That’s equivalent to around one additional assault per day in a city the size of Seattle. The statistical increase of 3.6 per cent is not high but, crucially, it is consistent. On those days, when air pollution is up by 7.0 μg m−3, it’s not as if the sun gets blocked by a thick haze of smoke or anything – the air still looks clear. But what is striking is that even a little bit of smoke in the air has an impact on people.” ~Lion Kircheis, Political Scientist

Kircheis looked for any other likely causes for the increase in violence, such as more traffic jams or an increase in police response time. But neither of these were the case. Interestingly, domestic violence call numbers didn’t rise when wildfire smoke was present. That suggests that outdoor exposure to wildfire smoke was the culprit – not indoor air pollution.

And, of course, socio-economic background then comes into play – although we might think we all breathe the same air, it’s not the case for those who work outdoors or do not have access to filtered indoor air.

This doesn’t mean the average person will become more violent just because they’re inhaling invisible wildfire smoke. What is more likely is that aggressive conflicts will spill over into violent actions when there is wildfire-induced smoke in the air. And it’s not just civilians who are susceptible. Police statistics suggest that officers in Seattle responded with more physical force on those smoky days.

The findings are supported by another study that used crime data from 21 major US cities from 2007 to 2020. This research showed that violent and drug-related crimes were particularly prevalent when wildfire smoke was in the air, with a 0.88 per cent increase in violent offences and a 1.35 per cent rise in drug-related crimes.

Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a crime during wildfire season. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

Marijuana Arrests Decrease

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, marijuana, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Uncategorized, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , , ,

The Marijuana Policy Project just released a new report on weed-related arrests in the United States. Based on FBI Crime Explorer data, the report examines cannabis arrest data in all 50 states, including a state-by-state breakdown of arrest data. In short, the report shows that states have turned to more pragmatic regulation and legalization of cannabis. The era of mass arrests is decreasing.

“Cannabis legalization across 24 states has driven a historic decline in cannabis arrests nationwide, from a high of nearly 900,000 to over 200,000 annually. That is still an alarmingly high number, with each of those arrests representing an actual person whose current reality and future prospects may well be derailed by a criminal record. Across half of our country, hundreds of thousands of Americans are still being funneled into the criminal justice system every year for a victimless ‘crime’ that is very likely legal in the next state over.” ~Marijuana Policy Project Executive Director Adam J. Smith

THE NUMBERS

The report found that annual cannabis arrests in the United States dropped from a peak of over 870,000 in 2007 to 211,104 in 2025. The findings show that cannabis arrest rates have dropped 85.53%, with possession arrests dropping by an average of 84.61% and sales arrests decreasing by an average of 80.39%.

In 2025, law enforcement agencies in states that have legalized marijuana reported 22,357 cannabis arrests, while states that continue to prohibit pot reported 186,581 cannabis arrests. The 24 states with legal cannabis made a total of 222,261 fewer cannabis arrests in 2025 compared to the year prior to their legalization of cannabis. Prohibition states made more than eight times as many cannabis arrests than legalization states in 2025, although they have a smaller total population.

My opinion? We’ve come a long way since nearly 900,000 annual arrests. Nevertheless, 200,000 Americans arrested every year for cannabis is still a human rights disaster that must end. Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a Drug Offense or any other crime. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

New Report Finds Washingtonians Are Drinking Substantially Less Alcohol

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , , ,

According to a new report, alcohol consumption in Washington State has decreased substantially. This follows nationwide trends that alcohol consumption has shifted noticeably in recent years, with a growing share of adults choosing to drink less — or not at all.

WHY HAS ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DECREASED NATIONWIDE?

Public health experts point to a combination of factors driving this trend, including increased awareness of alcohol’s health risks, the expansion of cannabis legalization, and changes in social habits as more young people connect online rather than in person. Shifting cultural norms, a broader focus on wellness, and evolving alcohol beverage labeling requirements have also played a role in reshaping drinking behaviors and consumer choices across the country.

At the same time, the market for alcohol alternatives has expanded rapidly. Internet searches for products such as non-alcoholic beer, zero-proof cocktails, and other alcohol-free beverages have surged, reflecting both consumer curiosity and growing retail availability. Beverage companies have responded by rolling out new product lines and catering to consumers who want the taste and social experience of drinking without the intoxicating effects.

This report, conducted by the food and beverage software company Trace One, uses data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to examine national-level trends in alcohol use and Google search data to track the rapid rise in online interest for alcohol alternatives. It then compares current alcohol use rates across states and examines how those rates have changed over time.

HOW DOES WASHINGTON STATE COMPARE?

While northern states have higher rates of alcohol use, many have experienced large declines in recent years. Similarly, Washington State has seen a drop in its share of adults who consume alcohol. Meanwhile, interest in alcohol alternatives has grown. The report, using federal data, found that in 2023, 56.6% of adults in Washington reported consuming alcohol in the past month, down from a peak of 61.8% in 2015.

Google Trends search data show that interest in alcohol-free beverages has surged in recent years. This phenomenon has effectively transformed this niche market into a mainstream category. Searches for “NA beer”—a product that historically carried a poor reputation—have increased nearly tenfold over the past decade. Meanwhile, searches for “zero proof” drinks and “mocktail recipes” have grown from virtually nonexistent to widely popular. Both of these search terms  have reached record highs in recent years.

This surge in consumer interest has reshaped the beverage industry. Athletic Brewing, often credited as a pioneer in the modern non-alcoholic beer market, has built a loyal following by emphasizing flavor and quality on par with traditional craft beer. In response, both large and small breweries have entered the space, offering non-alcoholic versions of flagship beers and developing entirely new alcohol-free product lines.

Major beverage companies have expanded beyond beer into alcohol-free spirits, wines, and ready-to-drink mocktails. Global brands such as Heineken, Guinness, and Budweiser have launched NA versions of their best-known products, while spirits companies have invested in zero-proof gin, whiskey, and tequila alternatives. The growing availability of these products reflects a broader shift: alcohol alternatives are no longer seen as an afterthought for the sober or “designated driver,” but as a legitimate category catering to a much wider audience.

Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a crime involving drugs or alcohol. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

Nitazene: More Potent Than Fentanyl

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, felony, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Nitazene, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Uncategorized, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , , ,

Nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioids with no approved medical use, are emerging as a serious concern in the United States due to their extreme potency and association with overdose deaths.

WHAT ARE NITAZENES?

Nitazenes (benzimidazole-opioids) are a class of extremely potent novel synthetic opioids. First developed in the 1950s by researchers in Switzerland as an opioid analgesic alternative to morphine, nitazenes were never approved for medical use.

Beginning in 2019, nitazenes emerged more widely on the illicit drug market in Europe. Since then, nitazenes have been identified on nearly every continent, including North America, South America, Asia, and Oceania. Due to their recent emergence, comprehensive data on the spread of nitazenes are not available. Limited data described in this report suggest that nitazene use is a growing trend in North America and that availability is likely spreading across the Americas. As they have emerged across the globe, illicit manufacturers have continuously synthesized new and chemically distinct types of nitazenes. Today, at least 13 different types of nitazenes have been identified.

WHY AND HOW DO PEOPLE USE NITAZENES?

People may use nitazenes for the same reasons that they use other opioids. Nitazene use may be motivated by self-treatment for physical, mental, or emotional disorders. They are also used to experience opioid effects, such as feelings of euphoria, relaxation, sleepiness, and reduced pain. Nitazenes are frequently mixed with or counterfeited as other drugs (e.g., heroin, fentanyl, benzodiazepines, or other synthetic drugs) to increase potency and cut costs. Nitazenes are available in many forms, including pills, powders, and sprays – both in “pure” form and mixed with other drugs.

DANGERS OF NITAZENES

Nitazenes are highly addictive and continued use can lead to dependency. Although studies about nitazene dependence and withdrawal are limited, nitazene withdrawal has a high potential to be severe and painful. Nitazenes can also cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, loss of consciousness, and seizures.

Like other opioids, nitazenes present a high risk of central nervous system or respiratory depression, as well as cardiac arrest. Nitazenes present an especially high risk for overdose and overdose mortality, due to their high potency. Nitazene potency varies significantly, but all nitazenes are much more potent than natural (non-synthetic) opioids, such as morphine.

OVERDOSE STATISTICS

At least 2,000 deaths have been associated with nitazenes nationwide since 2019. For example, Tennessee saw a four-fold increase in nitazene-involved overdose deaths between 2020 and 2021.

NITAZENES IN THE AMERICAS

Regional trends in the opioid epidemic are often first identified in the United States and Canada, including the prior emergence of fentanyl and xylazine. Both countries are recognized as the global epicenters of the opioid epidemic and support robust substance use surveillance systems. Nitazenes were first identified in the street drug supplies of both countries in late 2019 and early 2020. Since then, other findings indicate that nitazene use is continuing to spread on the continent.

Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a Drug Offense or any other crime. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

Search Warrant For Marijuana Grow Operation

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, felony, marijuana, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Washington Court of Appeals, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , ,

In State v. Le, No. 58336-4-II (Mar. 11, 2025)., the WA Court of Appeals held that a search warrant for an illegal cannabis grow operation does not need to include information that police checked the legal status of the grow operation and confirmed whether or not the operation is/was registered with the State.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In December 2017, law enforcement in Thurston County began investigating a possible illegal marijuana grow operation involving four properties. After investigating and surveilling the properties, law enforcement applied for search warrants. The warrant affidavit described the investigation and outlined numerous facts to establish probable cause. A superior court judge issued the warrants. Officers searched the four properties pursuant to the warrant and discovered over 1,000 marijuana plants. They also recovered tools, equipment, and supplies used to grow and package marijuana.

Officers arrested Ms. Le and her codefendants. The State charged Le with Drug Offenses to include unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance. Le moved to suppress evidence obtained during the search. She argued that the affidavit failed to establish probable cause. She also argued that the affidavit did not sufficiently support probable cause because it did not indicate that officers checked the legal status of the marijuana grow operation. The trial court denied Le’s motions to suppress.

A jury found Le guilty of both counts. On appeal, Le argued thatargues that law enforcement was required to check whether the grow operations were legal and registered with the State and include that information in the affidavit.

COURT’S ANALYSIS & CONCLUSIONS

The Court of Appeals held that the facts in the affidavit were sufficient to establish probable cause to search the properties involved. First, the affidavit described vehicle traffic and movements “consistent with individuals involved in the manufacture of marijuana.” Second, the affidavit notes that police reported smelling the odor of “fresh growing marijuana” at the defendant’s properties. Third, the affidavit outlines unusually high energy consumption at the four properties. Fourth, the affidavit stated that individuals involved in marijuana grow operations “often put the power in other people’s names to help avoid detection and investigation.” Finally, the investigations discussed in the affidavit revealed that although Ms. Le reported no income, she and other co-defendants purchased multiple homes, paid significantly high energy bills, made home improvements, and purchased multiple vehicles.

“We hold that the facts outlined in the affidavit, when viewed together, established probable cause to search all four properties, regardless of the fact that the odor of marijuana was only detected at two of the four properties.” ~WA Court of Appeals

Further, the Court of Appeals held that the search warrant was valid even though the affidavit did not indicate whether the marijuana grow operations were legal and registered with the state. In short, the Court of Appeals held Ms. Le lacked legal authority to support the argument:

“The State, in response, correctly notes that no case has held that a search warrant application must affirm, as a precondition to a finding of probable cause, that officers searched the medical cannabis authorization database to confirm that the suspect does not hold a registration.” ~WA Court of Appeals

Additionally, the Court reasoned that a suspect’s presence in the registry does not mean that their possession or use of marijuana is, in all respects, lawful. Moreover, each of the locations named in the search warrant application were single-family residences. Under the law, the Liquor Control Board cannot approve a license to process cannabis at a personal residence.

With that, the Court of Appeals affirmed Ms. Le’s convictions.

Please review my Search & Seizure Guideline and contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a crime. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

Substance Use: Health Issue Or Crime?

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Search and Seizure, Search Warrant, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Studies, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , , ,

New polling data from the Legal Action Center shows that more Americans than ever think substance use should be treated as a health issue, rather than a criminal justice issue. But many state and federal laws continue to criminalize substance use – more than half of states still treat drug possession as a felony.

THE POLL DATA

The Legal Action Center poll revealed that in 2024, 75% of Americans thought that substance use disorders (SUD) “should be treated more as a health problem than a criminal problem”, compared with 67% in 2019. The poll also showed rising support for increased spending and access for SUD treatment, including in jails and prisons.

ARE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL DRUG POLICIES WORKING?

The Biden administration dramatically expanded access to naloxone, an overdose-reversal medication, including by making it available over the counter. Some jurisdictions, including Chicago, have made naloxone and fentanyl test strips free to the public. And several states decriminalized drug-checking equipment, including fentanyl test strips in 2023, but some still forbid drug checking.

Some State and local drug policies intended to increase SUD treatment access have been around for a long time, but local and federal governments often fail to provide sufficient funding and attention to make the most of those policies. Even outside of SUD treatment, there is a shortage of behavioral health workers in the US.

HOW DO DRUG CRIMES GET INVESTIGATED AND PROSECUTED?

Drug crimes and charges generally come out of a warrant, a search, a seizure, an informant, a plain view or a tip.  This means that the “how and why” a was searching and seizing something, or, why and how they were engaging an informant or tipster, will raise constitutional issues.  State and Federal Agents must act within Washington State and Federal law.

Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a Drug Offense or any other crime. Numerous affirmative defenses exist, including Unwitting Possession and Entrapment. In general, criminal drug cases can be guided towards a favorable resolution. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

State v Blake Does Not Open The Door To Untimely Challenges On Voluntary Guilty Pleas

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , ,

In State v. Olsen, the WA Supreme Court held that a defendant’s knowing and validly entered guilty plea to a 2003 drug possession charge did not become unknowing and involuntary simply because the State v. Blake decision in 2021 declared Washington State’s drug possession statute unconstitutional.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In 2003, Olsen pled guilty to Forgery and Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance in two separate matters at the same time. In 2005, Olsen pled guilty to unlawful possession of firearm second degree and unlawful possession of controlled substance from the same incident. He completed his sentences on both matters.

In 2021, Olsen filed CrR 7.8 motions to withdraw his guilty pleas as being involuntary pleas to nonexistent crimes and that the pleas were part of indivisible agreements, pursuant to State v. Blake. The superior court denied the motions and only vacated the drug possession convictions.

COURT’S ANALYSIS & CONCLUSIONS

The Supreme Court held that while Blake invalidated Olsen’s simple drug possession convictions, it did not open the door to untimely challenges to the voluntariness of guilty pleas.

“A motion to withdraw a plea after judgment has been entered is a collateral attack,” said the Court.  “Criminal defendants seeking to collaterally attack their judgment and sentence must do so within one year of the judgment and sentence becoming final.”

The Court acknowledged that RCW 10.73.100(7) provides an exception to the one-year time bar when there has been a significant, retroactively applicable change in the law that is material to the defendant’s conviction or sentence. However, the defendant must show the law changed in a way that entitles him to relief, such as by changing the process or result of their case. Here, Blake is not material to Olsen’s due process claim challenging the voluntariness of his drug possession pleas.

Olsen’s guilty pleas, knowingly and validly entered, did not become unknowing and involuntary simply because Blake declared the drug possession statute unconstitutional. The validity of the pleas turns on whether Olsen was inadequately informed of the law and the consequences at the time he pleaded. State v. Lamb, 175 Wn.2d 121, 129, 285 P.3d 27 (2012). Blake does not provide new legal grounds for determining whether he voluntarily and knowingly pleaded guilty to drug possession, a valid crime in 2003 and 2005. Olsen cannot use Blake to circumvent the time bar under RCW 10.73.100(6) and belatedly challenge his guilty pleas.

With that, the WA Supreme Court affirmed the Superior Court’s rulings denial of Olsen’s motions to withdraw guilty pleas and upheld Olsen’s drug conviction.

Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a Drug Offense or any other crime. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.

2024 Brings Massive Reduction in Drug Overdose Deaths

Bellingham Defense Attorney, Drug Offenses, Fentanyl, Mount Vernon Criminal Defense Attorney, Skagit County Criminal Defense, Studies, Whatcom County Criminal Defense, , , , ,
Excellent article in NPR by news correspondent Brian Mann indicates 2024 is seeing a massive dropoff in drug overdose deaths. For the first time in decades, public health data from the CDC already shows an unprecedented decline in drug deaths of roughly 10.6 percent. That’s a huge reversal from recent years when fatal overdoses regularly increased by double-digit percentages.

“In the states that have the most rapid data collection systems, we’re seeing declines of twenty percent, thirty percent,” ~Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta, an expert on street drugs at the University of North Carolina.

According to Dasgupta’s analysis, the drop in state-level mortality numbers corresponds with similar steep declines in emergency room visits linked to overdoses. In many states, the sudden drop in drug deaths stunned some observers who lived through the darkest days of the fentanyl overdose crisis.

RAW DATA

  • Deaths in King County, Washington, linked to all drugs have dropped by 15 percent in the first half of 2024. Fatal overdoses caused by street fentanyl have dropped by 20 percent.
  • Overdose deaths in Ohio are down 31 percent. Ohio is now in the ninth consecutive month of a historic and unexpected drop in overdose deaths.
  • Overdose deaths in Missouri have now fallen roughly 34 percent in the second quarter of 2024.

DESPITE THE “GOOD NEWS,” DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS PERSIST

After years of wrenching drug deaths that seemed all but unstoppable, some researchers, front-line addiction workers, members of law enforcement, and people using street drugs voiced caution about the apparent trend. Roughly 100,000 deaths are still occurring per year. Street drug cocktails including fentanyl, methamphetamines, xylazine and other synthetic chemicals are more poisonous than ever.

But most public health experts and some people living with addiction told NPR they believe catastrophic increases in drug deaths, which began in 2019, have ended, at least for now. Many said a widespread, meaningful shift appears underway.

WHAT INTERRUPTED THE DRUG OVERDOSE DEATH TREND?

  • Many people using fentanyl now carry naloxone, a medication that reverses most opioid overdoses.
  • Rapid improvements in the availability and affordability of medical treatments for fentanyl addiction.
  • More funding for addiction treatment and healthcare services, especially in Black and Native American communities where overdose deaths remain catastrophically high.
  • Fentanyl may be harder to find and less pure in some areas because of law enforcement efforts targeting Mexican drug cartels.
  • The chemical xylazine is also being mixed with fentanyl by drug gangs. While toxic in humans, causing lesions and other serious long-term health problems, xylazine may delay the onset of withdrawal symptoms in some users. Dasgupta said it’s possible that means people are taking fewer potentially lethal doses of fentanyl per day.
  • The end of the COVID pandemic, combined with the high number of people who have already died from drug overdoses.

My opinion? Quite often, drug addiction & homelessness go hand in hand. At times, drug use can temporarily provide a brief reprieve to the challenges of homelessness. For others, the mere stresses of life can make everyday, tax-paying citizens seek drugs and alcohol to self-medicate.

Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting usually takes more than good intentions or a strong will. Drugs change the brain in ways that make quitting hard, even for those who want to.

Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a Drug Offense or any other crime. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.