Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Miro Weinberger today joined Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, Vermont State Police Criminal Division Commander Major Glenn Hall, and representatives from the Burlington, Colchester, South Burlington, and Winooski Police Departments in expressing support for S22, an act relating to increased penalties for knowingly dispensing, selling, or possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
“Fentanyl traffickers are here and sowing great damage in our community,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Vermont police and prosecutors need updated laws to confront them. This is a time for urgent action, not study.”
“The new collaboration between my office, the City of Burlington, and our regional police departments has revealed a concerning increase in suspected fentanyl-related overdoses here in Chittenden County,” said Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George. “We have seen in neighboring states the damage that fentanyl can do. This proposed legislation will be crucial in helping us curb increased fentanyl distribution in Chittenden County by creating stronger penalties for the trafficking and sale of fentanyl.”
“Throughout New England, fentanyl is outpacing heroin as a killer at rates of up to sixty to one,” said Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo. “From treatment to recovery to enforcement, we need good tools at our disposal to address this crisis. The ability to charge fentanyl dealers with the same type of felony as heroin dealers is essential to protecting public health and safety.”
Participants in Wednesday’s press conference noted that neighboring New Hampshire has seen a dramatic increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths in recent years. In 2016, fentanyl played a role in 326 out of 479 drug overdose-related deaths. Of all overdose deaths, fentanyl was listed as the sole cause of death in 198 cases, while heroin was listed as the sole cause in three.
Although the number of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Vermont is lower than in neighboring states, Vermont has seen a tenfold increase in fentanyl-related overdose fatalities over the past six years, from five in 2010 to 51 in 2016.
Recent overdoses in the Chittenden County region suggest this trend may be worsening. Between April 4 and April 18, Burlington, Colchester, Milton, South Burlington, and Winooski Police Departments reported 13 opioid-related overdose incidents, some with multiple individuals overdosing, and two of which resulted in fatalities. These five police departments have increased the level of coordination in recent months as part of the Mayor’s “CommunityStat” effort designed to bring together the many stakeholders working to address the opioid crisis. While it is too early to determine the exact opioids contributing to these overdoses, it is suspected fentanyl contributed to the majority of the overdoses.
Yet the dispensation or sale of fentanyl is not a felony in Vermont, and penalties for the sale, dispensation, and transportation of fentanyl do not reflect the severity of its impact. The Mayor, State’s Attorney, and representatives from the region’s police departments all noted the need for a change to empower the court system to treat fentanyl the way it treats heroin.