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Fentanyl, Mysti's Journey Managing Recovery

Mysti's Fentanyl Recovery

Lopez shared her journey from fentanyl addiction to sobriety, highlighting the ease of accessing fentanyl and the challenges of overcoming its grip.

Her recovery was facilitated by an arrest that led her to drug court, and she now helps others through a virtual outpatient recovery center.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced a new task force to combat the fentanyl crisis, citing a dramatic increase in fentanyl seizures and overdose deaths in the state.

The task force will focus on prevention, intervention, and disrupting trafficking networks, while Cox criticized the Biden administration’s border policies for exacerbating the crisis, a point contested by Democratic state Rep. Brian King.

Lopez’s dad was a heroin addict and her mother struggled with methamphetamine addiction, and she eventually found herself walking the same path. Fentanyl was her first escape, but getting out was much harder.

Getting Clean from Fentanyl

Lopez eventually found herself getting clean, thanks to an arrest that landed her in drug court.

She’s now helping to start Level Up IOP, a virtual outpatient recovery center for those struggling with addiction.

While Lopez’s story has so far been positive, many Utahns are not so lucky. The governor said fentanyl is affecting all walks of life and that raising awareness, providing resources and supporting recovery efforts can help prevent more lives from being lost to this deadly drug.

The governor on Tuesday announced a new statewide task force to combat the spread of fentanyl and address the root causes leading to addiction. The task force is made up of political leaders, law enforcement, federal and state agencies.

The task force will rely on funds from the state and federal government, as well as money obtained through settlements with major drug companies.

The state’s drug court program has been “really key and helpful” in helping people get treatment while having their charges expunged from their record.

The governor blamed the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S. southern border for the influx of fentanyl to the state, but a Democratic state rep. was quick to criticize the governor for parroting anti-immigrant rhetoric and blaming rather than delivering real-time solutions.

Lopez urged people to remember their humanity and said once a criminal, always a criminal is NOT accurate and keeps people stuck in their past. 

Now she’s trying to help others find their way out of addiction.

Read the full article here.