Criminal penalties for fentanyl possession implemented by a state law in 2022 did not lower preexisting trends of opioid overdose deaths in Colorado and may be associated with an increase among the Black population, according to a peer-reviewed report published in JAMA Health Forum earlier this month. In 2020, there were a total of 919 opioid overdose deaths in Colorado and 64 deaths among non-Hispanic Black adults, according to the new report, which drew on data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. By 2023, there were 1,157 total opioid overdose deaths overall, and 117 deaths among non-Hispanic Black adults, the new report says. According to lead author Cole Jurecka, a researcher at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus, this report follows a longer examination of House Bill 22-1326, but with more data and analysis. ✍️ Read the full story by Brendan Joel Kelley at westword.com or at the link in our bio. #colorado #coloradohealth #coloradol...