In order to fight what it called an “epidemic” that’s “plaguing” the community, the Bernalillo County Commission voted to earmark $975,000 to continue a fentanyl prevention and education campaign.
The money, according to a KRQE News report, will support three initiatives. The first is an 11-month marketing campaign between February and December 2023 intended to spread the word about the dangers of fentanyl use. A commercial that began airing late last year emphasized how “a grain of salt,” or as little as two milligrams, can be a fatal dose.
The money is also targeted to pay for additional “community awareness training and presentations.” According to KRQE News, in October 2022, Bernalillo County partnered with the city of Albuquerque to hold a fentanyl summit, which can be watched in its entirety online.
A portion of the funding will go toward upgrading the county’s fentanyl resource website, Keep NM Alive, to make it more comprehensive for those seeking education and treatment information on fentanyl.
“This urgent work must continue,” Bernalillo County Commissioner Barbara Baca told KRQE News. “BernCo has stepped up to fight this epidemic plaguing our community through stakeholder partnerships, a fentanyl summit, a marketing campaign focusing on the dangers of fentanyl and outreach for those seeking assistance.”
Money for the campaign comes from the county’s $3.9 million in opioid settlement funds, resulting from a lawsuit against pharmaceutical distributors.
The county said money provided by the settlements “will provide substantial funds to states and local governments for abatement of the opioid epidemic across the country and imposes changes in the way the settling defendants conduct their business.”
