Liberals think Colorado can stem the wave of fentanyl overdoses and deaths with “understanding and kindness.” Less naïve lawmakers believe in tougher penalties to deter potentially deadly first-time, casual use. 

Sadly, as with so much at the Capitol, naïve ninnies are killing common sense measures that can save lives, and prevent Colorado parents from the unspeakable sadness of burying a son or daughter. 

Here are some facts that cannot be stated often or loudly enough. 

Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. Here in Colorado, more than 900 people died in 2022 of fentanyl poisoning, the most recent year for which statistics are available. 

This is not just another item on the menu of dangerous drugs.   

“Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered,” according to Anne Milgram the administrator of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  

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Current Colorado law, which was amended in 2022, allows possession of a gram or less of any substance containing fentanyl to be charged as a misdemeanor.

But as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can kill you.

State Rep. Mike Lynch had a better idea. His bill, killed on a party-line vote, would have significantly increased criminal penalties for the possession of any amount of fentanyl to a level-4 drug felony.

As Lynch said – and he’s right – treating the one gram possession as a misdemeanor doesn’t provide significant deterrence to use and certainly doesn’t connect users to treatment services the way a felony conviction might. 

People objected to the toughness of the bill, citing the significant burdens of having a felony conviction on your record.   

Yes, that’s the point. 

Lynch’s stated goal was to deter even casual use of fentanyl. One mistake with any substance laced with fentanyl can be the last mistake.

Sadly, but predictably, progressives who do not believe in the power of tougher laws to deter drug behavior – or any criminal behavior – came out in force to oppose Lynch’s much-needed legislation. What’s needed instead of tougher legal penalties is “understanding and kindness.”

When you’re dead, people will be plenty kind in speaking about you in the past tense.

As reported in Colorado Politics, other advocates in the recovery community said being nice to and enabling addicts is the last thing society should do. 

Increasingly across Colorado – and the country – people know families who have lost teens and young adults to this devastating scourge. I have friends who lost their adult son a year ago when he unsuspectingly took a drug that contained fentanyl. This story is repeated week after week across our state.   Several parents who suffered the unspeakable tragedy to losing sons and daughters to fentanyl spoke out in favor of Lynch’s bill. 

It’s more and more clear we can’t be tough enough in fighting back against fentanyl. Especially given its source.   

An important new book by Peter Schweizer titled “Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans” details the long and disturbing history of China and the narcotics trade. Specifically, Schweizer – in deeply researched and footnoted detail and with zero anonymous sources – focuses on how China manufactures fentanyl precursors, provides pill presses to producers across North America, abets smuggling the drugs and even helps launder drug money for Mexican cartels.

The goal? 

To undermine American society in what a Chinese defense manual calls “disintegration warfare.” Foment social division and chaos to help slowly disable America, in ways far less costly than a shooting war. Defeat the nation without ever firing a shot. 

Given the tens of thousands of overdose deaths each year occurring largely in the population most likely to be called on to defend the nation, the Chinese strategy is proving effective. 

Whether it’s the naïve blindness of people who believe we can hug our way out of this crisis, or the willful blindness of those who fear confronting the Chinese, continuing our current path is a devastating and costly mistake. 

It’s sad even a constantly escalating body count can’t wake Colorado liberals up to the tough choice of facing down an unpleasant reality in our midst.

Sean Duffy, a former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Owens, is a communications and media relations strategist and ghostwriter based in the Denver area.