Attorney General Knudsen and DEA host first Montana family summit
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division, hosted a Family Summit Wednesday in support of those who have lost loved ones to the drug poisoning and overdose epidemic.
A dozen families from around the state attended yesterday’s summit, which provided a forum to discuss the poisoning and overdose crisis plaguing our communities. More importantly, this event provided state and federal leaders the opportunity to learn what these communities need in terms of prevention, education, treatment and enforcement efforts.
“It was an honor to meet with families who lost a loved one to fentanyl and I am grateful for their courage and strength to share their stories with us. Their sons, daughters, moms, dads, and friends are the reason I continue to do everything I can as attorney general to combat the illegal drug crisis in Montana,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “The tough conversations we had today provided great insight into developing strategies to keep drugs out of our communities and save Montanans’ lives.”
“We appreciate all the families that joined us today to share their journey. It is these conversations that help us better understand what we can do with our resources to amplify their message and save lives throughout the state,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky of the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division. “Fentanyl is the greatest drug threat facing our country and today underscored the importance of us all working together as we try to save lives and reverse the course of this poisoning and overdose epidemic.”
“This national epidemic of drug overdoses has touched many Montana families who have lost loved ones to the scourge of fentanyl and opioids. I am grateful to these families for their participation at this Family Summit, and for their insight and experience as we work diligently as a community to address this problem,” U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. “The United States Department of Justice is unwavering in its commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to fully investigate and prosecute individuals and drug trafficking organizations who are flooding our communities with these poisons.”
Participants heard from narcotics officers, state and federal prosecutors, and prevention and advocacy experts. They were provided an update on the Montana Opioid Settlement and collectively discussed ways to increase awareness around the dangers associated with fentanyl.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 107,735 people died by drug poisoning in the United States in 2021. A majority of drug poisoning deaths are attributed to synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.
If you are interested in information on how to get involved in future events you are encouraged to reach out to the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division or complete the Advocates for Change form and submit it to [email protected].
DEA has resources available to help parents and caregivers talk to kids about the dangers of drug use. You can also visit the Get Smart About Drugs website.
If you or someone you know needs help with substance use or mental health disorders, please visit DEA’s Recovery Resources page for a list of resources.