MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Drug Enforcement Agency launched a new mission to fight against overdoses in communities across the U.S. and Memphis is one of the priority cities.
There are 275 people dying from overdoses in the country daily and the rise in those deaths are also happening in Shelby County.
To combat them, the DEA has launched 'Operation Overdrive'.
“These are unprecedented times,” said Brian Sullivan, an executive board member of the Prevention Alliance of Tennessee. “These are times where we have a number of people we’re seeing dying that we have not seen before.”
The Prevention Alliance of Tennessee (PAT) is a public health nonprofit working to create a healthier Tennessee by reducing the burden of substance misuse.
Sullivan said preventing drug overdose deaths in America is going to take every facet that works together to curb drug misuse and addiction.
He thinks the DEA’s operation could help prevent deaths by comparing and cross-referencing data on violent crimes and CDC data on overdoses.
“So that they can better pinpoint and divert their law enforcement officers to the correct areas,” said Sullivan.
The DEA is targeting 34 locations across 23 states to combat drug-related violence and overdoses.
Sullivan explained addiction is a health crisis that needs to be immediately addressed.
“Tennessee saw an 85% increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the past year during the pandemic. That’s a record,” he said.
According to a Lancet report, 1.2 million people could die from overdose deaths by 2029 if dramatic intervention isn’t taken.
“We have to stay balanced and make sure that we’re treating addiction like a disease, getting people the help that they need but also making sure that people are safe and I think that this is an initiative that could assist with that,” Sullivan explained.
State lawmakers are taking action. Recently, Tennessee approved $500,000 for the Prevention Alliance of Tennessee to initiate 9 additional drug coalitions throughout the state.
If anyone is in need of treatment, they can call or text the Tennessee REDLINE 24/7 at 1-800-889-9789.