Sam Quinones: Fentanyl, Meth, and the Opioid Crisis

On September 28, 2023, the Mayors and Business Leaders for Public Safety hosted the Sam Quinones: A Community Dialog about Fentanyl, Meth, and the Opioid Crisis Town Hall. The event included community learning, dialog and civil discourse with author and journalist, Sam Quinones with Mayor Brett Gailey as moderator.

Sam Quinones is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, a reporter for 35 years, and a veteran reporter on immigration, gangs, drug trafficking, and the border. He is formerly a reporter with the L.A. Times, where he worked for 10 years. His book, “The Least of Us” was released in November 2021 and was nominated for a National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) award for Best Nonfiction Book of 2021. “The Least of Us” follows Quinones’ landmark book “Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic” (Bloomsbury, 2015), which ignited awareness of the epidemic won a NBCC award for the Best Nonfiction Book of 2015.

During the event, Quinones shared his 35 years of expertise on the drug crisis, and its impact on local communities. He talked abouthow this drug became so prevalent in the US and what sort of changes might be necessary to treat opioid addiction and recovery. Fentanyl is the main opioid in overdose deaths in Washington state, and now it's selling for as low as 50 cents a pill. The coalition, Mayors and Business Leaders for Public Safety, wants to change the trajectory of our communities. This event gave residents an opportunity to come together to learn and discuss the challenges and possible solutions to substance abuse disorders for Snohomish County.

We appreciate everyone who attended the Sam Quinones: Fentanyl, Meth, and the Opioid Crisis Town Hall. We had a wonderful turnout with over 250 community members attending. For more information on the Mayors and Business Leaders for Public Safety coalition, visit their website at https://www.keepourcitiessafe.com/.