FARGO (KFGO/KVRR) – This week, it was reported that over 85,000 fentanyl pills were seized by the Cass County Drug Task Force in 2023, an increase of 126% from 2022.
The large increase has caused concern in the county, as this poses a major risk to public health and safety.
“A lot of the conversations we have everyday are about fentanyl, and the dangers that we are seeing here locally,” said Jordan Beyer, a harm reduction specialist with Fargo Cass Public Health.
The pills can be deadly, but another issue is that some of the pills have been laced with Xylazine – also known as ‘Tranq.’ Xylazine is a powerful sedative and is causing horrific wounds to people that use drugs laced with it.
“The wounds I think are the big scary part of it,” Beyer said. “We hand out wound dressing kits, wound care kits. And we really talk about how to keep those wounds clean and how to make sure you are taking care of yourself so you don’t have to get infected, have something amputated. It’s scary.”
U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider said they are doing everything they can to prosecute those that are bringing the drugs into the region.
“It is an epidemic and we’ve tried to respond with being aggressive,” Schneider said. “If it’s entities that are targeting tribal communities in North Dakota, you can count on a prosecution for that. If you are an international trafficker that wants to prey on North Dakota. You can count on being prosecuted in that instance as well. Across the board that’s what we try to focus on. Relentless prosecution of these individuals who are trying to make a buck off of addicts in North Dakota.”
Beyer said the Harm Reduction Center has talks regularly with people about the dangers of fentanyl and Xylazine.
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