Fentanyl is the number one cause of death in the United States for those between the ages of 18 and 45. Between 2020 and 2021, the city saw an increase in fatal overdoses of 175% on the Adams County side and saw an increase of more than double that on the Jefferson County side of our city. Just four grams of fentanyl can kill 2000 people.
On behalf of the city and the police department, Interim Chief Haubert testified against this bill late Tuesday night. In addition, one of our detectives, in his role as a member of the Colorado Drug Investigators Association, also testified against the bill early Wednesday morning.
The bill passed the House Judiciary committee Wednesday afternoon with four amendments; two of those amendments are as follows:
(1) possessing any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains a quantity of fentanyl, carfentanal, or analog [described in 18-18-204 (2)(g)] that is more than 60% of the total composition commits a level 2 drug felony;
(2) the subject knowingly possesses more than one gram but less than 4 grams of a mixture that contains any quantity of fentanyl, carfentanal, or analog [described in 18-18-204 (2)(g)] commits a level 4 drug felony.
These amendments are currently “recommendations” unless approved by the full House of Representatives. If passed in the House, the bill will go to the Senate.