Preventing fentanyl overdose deaths in Minnesota

Each year, drug overdoses kill more Americans than car crashes, homicides or guns. Drug overdose deaths reached a record high in 2021, according to the CDC. And synthetic opioids like fentanyl were involved in about two-thirds of those deaths. 

At 9 a.m. Thursday, MPR News guest host Chris Farrell talked about fentanyl in Minnesota and the work being done to prevent overdose deaths.

Guests: 

• Pearl Evans is an overdose prevention coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Health. 

• Peter Hayden is the founder of Turning Point, a north Minneapolis agency that provides culturally specific substance use disorder treatment. 

• Dr. Joseph Lee is the President and CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.