This is a guest opinion column

As the COVID pandemic recedes and disappears from the headlines, public officials are increasingly focused on another crisis – the opioid crisis. The opioid crisis is national and local tragedy. Over one million Americans have succumbed to drug overdoses since the turn of the century, with more than 107,000 dying in 2021 alone. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45, more than violent crime, automobile accidents, and yes, COVID-19.

The dramatic rise in drug overdoses has coincided with the introduction of fentanyl into the nation’s drug supply. Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid more than 50 times more powerful than heroin and has rapidly become traffickers’ drug of choice. It is easy to make, easy to conceal, and incredibly lucrative. Today, fentanyl can be found in every corner of America, and is often mixed with other illicit substances, including cocaine, heroin, and counterfeit prescription pills.

Sadly, the state of Alabama has not been spared the worst effects of the opioid crisis. Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner Office recently reported that more than 415 people fatally overdosed in 2022, a 25 percent increase from the year before. Over the same period, there were 194 homicides and 115 traffic deaths across Jefferson County.

So, what can be done to help reverse these alarming trends? Alabama must embrace the entire spectrum of drug prevention, harm reduction, and treatment efforts.

First, education is paramount, especially among Alabama’s youth. In many cases, people unknowingly ingest fentanyl disguised as legitimate prescription drugs – the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has even launched a campaign to warn that “One Pill Can Kill.” Every child across the state should receive evidence-based drug prevention education in middle school to help stop drug use before it starts. But educators can’t do it alone. Parents, coaches, faith-based organizations, and public officials must all sound the alarm about the dangers of drug use.

Next, state and local officials should move quickly to increase access to commonsense harm reduction measures, including the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, syringe exchange programs, and fentanyl test strips. While critics of harm reduction policies suggest they encourage illegal drug use, there is scant evidence to suggest that is the case. Rather, studies have shown they save lives, increase entry into drug treatment programs, and reduce the worst harms of substance abuse. Naloxone, in particular, should be as ubiquitous as hand sanitizer – it should be available to anyone that wants it, free of charge.

Finally, Alabama must greatly expand access to medical-assisted treatment, or MAT, for those suffering from opioid use disorder. MAT is widely recognized to be the “gold standard” in treating substance abuse and consists of drugs like buprenorphine and methadone that help curb withdrawal symptoms and cravings, dramatically reduce the likelihood of overdoses, and place drug users on a path to recovery. Earlier this month, Congress passed the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which eliminated the so-called “X waiver” that placed limits on who could prescribe buprenorphine and how many patients they were able to treat. With the removal of the X waiver, any licensed medical professional can now prescribe buprenorphine with no patient caps.

The opioid crisis is not a red or blue state issue – it’s an American issue. While some of these measures have been politicized, they are the most effective tools we have in the fight against drug abuse and are proven to save lives. Alabama’s legislators must ensure individuals across the state have access to the same life-saving measures as those living in other parts of the country. There’s no time to lose.

Jim Crotty is the former Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. He is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of Alabama School of Law.