Senator Klobuchar, leaders speak on opioid crisis

United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representative Angie Craig (D-MN) held a press conference in Inver Grove Heights late Thursday morning to address drug trafficking and fentanyl use.

The Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko and Change the Outcome Founder and Executive Director Colleen Ronnei joined Klobuchar and Craig at the SMART Center.

The full news conference can be watched in the video above.

In an effort to address the rise in illegal opioids entering the U.S., Senator Klobuchar introduced the STOP 2.0 Act, which builds on previous legislation from 2018 that prevents fentanyl and other opioids from entering the country via mail.

In February, Minneapolis set aside $420,000 to combat the growing opioid crisis. At that time, the most recent numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health showed that between 2019 and 2021, annual opioid overdose deaths more than doubled statewide from 427 to 978.

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