New Mexico Gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland speaking today in Española to families impacted by fentanyl addiction, vows to address the crisis. Courtesy photo

ESPAÑOLA – At the Walk For Our Lives fentanyl awareness event today in Española, Deb Haaland, candidate for governor of New Mexico, stood alongside families impacted by fentanyl addiction and vowed to address the fentanyl crisis.

She committed to investing in addiction recovery services, family support programs, and tools for law enforcement to get illegal drugs out of New Mexico. The walk was led by Española native Alicia Pauline Vigil-Ryan, who lost her son to fentanyl poisoning in 2022.

“The rise of fentanyl in our communities is heartbreaking. It ruins lives and families. Thank you to Alicia for your strength in leading us all today. As governor, I’ll invest in addiction services, making sure families have support, and in law enforcement so they have the tools to keep our community safe and provide the help the community needs,” Haaland said.

A new report from the New Mexico Department of Health shows a sharp increase in overdose deaths across Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and Taos Counties. A majority of those overdoses were caused by fentanyl.

Haaland, who previously struggled with addiction, understands the challenges and strain addiction puts on families and how hard it is to get help. In Congress, Haaland delivered $9.4 million to communities in New Mexico to address the opioid crisis and provide addiction services. As Secretary of the Interior, she worked with Indian Health Services (IHS) to support mental health services in high schools that serve Native children to prevent young people from going down a path to addiction.