The Health Impacts of Felonizing Fentanyl in Colorado
I am a co-investigator on a project working to understand the factors associated with overdose, substance use, and criminal legal involvement following the passing of House Bill 1326, also known as the “Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention” Bill. This bill states that regardless of if you are aware or not that your drug supply contains fentanyl, you will be charged with a level 4 drug felony. This work is done as part of The Missing Us project based at the University of Colorado Anschutz medical campus. The Missing Us aims to improve our understanding of and responses to established and emerging epidemics among vulnerable and marginalized populations.
Project Aims
1. Quantify the direct impact that increased penalties have on overdose and initiation and retention on medications for opioid use disorder.
2. Explore the trends in felony charges and misdemeanor charges for possession.
3. Understand how increased penalties for possession will impact overdose in communities via community-engaged research.