A group of Mississippi lawmakers is seeking to legalize fentanyl test strips, a tool used to detect the presence of the synthetic opioid. When added to other drugs, fentanyl can cause lethal overdoses for users who are unaware of its presence.
Parts of Mississippi’s capital city is seeing a “saturation” of additional police presence that Gov. Tate Reeves promises will counter a spike in crime and violence that has worsened since the pandemic began. But violence experts warn that a swelling police presence may not be effective, and it actually harm communities.
While overdose deaths were already increasing in the months preceding the novel coronavirus disease pandemic, the CDC says the latest numbers suggest an acceleration of overdose deaths during the pandemic.
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