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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D89D05.39108190"></span><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">July 21, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Gov. Little directs $1 million to fight fentanyl now<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little announced today Idaho will put up to $1 million toward efforts to confront the growing threat of fentanyl in our state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“A trace of fentanyl the size of a grain of salt is enough to kill you, and many times it is laced into other pills or drugs – even black-market vape cartridges – and you won’t even
know it. Meth and fentanyl seizures have dramatically increased in Idaho and across the country. We must act now. Given the magnitude of the problem, we are acting immediately to turn the tide and protect Idaho families,”</span></b><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">
Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The funds will be used in the coming weeks for two purposes – to purchase additional roadside testing equipment and triple our current ability to get fentanyl off our streets more quickly,
and to start a new large-scale paid media campaign to educate the public about the dangers of fentanyl. The campaign will be coordinated by the Idaho State Police in cooperation with the Governor’s Office of Drug Policy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Governor Little
</span><a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/pressrelease/gov-little-launches-operation-esto-perpetua-to-fight-idahos-growing-drug-threat/"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">launched “Operation Esto Perpetua” earlier this year</span></a><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">
– a new strategy to do more to protect our communities against the growing drug threat. Operation Esto Perpetua is bringing together law enforcement, families, and others in new ways to meaningfully reduce the flow of fentanyl and methamphetamine into the
State of Idaho. Additional information on Operation Esto Perpetua can be found at
</span><a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/operation-esto-perpetua/"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">https://gov.idaho.gov/operation-esto-perpetua/</span></a><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The Idaho State Police also has deployed $250,000 approved by the Legislature this year as part of the Governor’s “Leading Idaho” plan for Operation Esto Perpetua. The funds are being used
to hire more investigators and increase patrol hours for drug interdiction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Gov. Little also shared a new observational report today from the Citizens Action Group on Fentanyl he assembled in the spring. The group spent two months traveling the state holding public
meetings to listen to Idahoans about the impact of fentanyl on our communities. <o:p>
</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The observational report from the Citizens Action Group on Fentanyl
</span></b><a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/oep-observational-report-citizens-action-group-2022.pdf"><b><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">can be found here</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">.
It highlighted potential solutions, including:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The need to significantly boost awareness and education around the dangers of fentanyl<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The need to continue to push for border security and minimize the flow of illicit drugs into our country and state<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The need to better integrate information sharing between law enforcement, first responders, health care, tribes, coroners, and others to tackle the problem
strategically<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The need to continue increasing resources for mental health and behavioral health<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The observational report is being handed over to the Governor’s Law Enforcement Panel. The panel will closely examine the report and come up with concrete recommendations for Governor Little
to include in his budget and priorities, which he will roll out in his 2023 State of the State and Budget Address in January.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“I appreciate the members of my Operation Esto Perpetua initiative – both the Citizens Action Group on Fentanyl and the Law Enforcement Panel – for serving our people and coming up with
solutions to help us fight the growing drug threat in Idaho,”</span></b><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> Governor Little added.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. For press inquiries only, contact the Governor’s press office at (208) 854-3015 or e-mail
</span></i><a href="mailto:Madison.Hardy@gov.idaho.gov"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Madison.Hardy@gov.idaho.gov</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">To unsubscribe from these announcements, send an e-mail to
</span></i><a href="mailto:news@gov.idaho.gov"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">news@gov.idaho.gov</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">.</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
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