The rise of fentanyl-related deaths in the United States has reached alarming levels, with North Carolina serving as a grim example of the opioid crisis sweeping the nation. Recently, federal officials rolled out a program called PROTECT in Charlotte, designed to target the financial networks that fuel fentanyl trafficking. Charlotte, the second-largest banking hub in the country, is one of the seven U.S. cities chosen for this initiative, which focuses on severing drug dealers from their money.

In North Carolina alone, fentanyl has claimed 37,000 lives over the past two decades, a number that continues to grow as communities struggle with the drug’s devastating impact. According to the N.C. Department of Justice, the opioid has “overwhelmed local police departments, jails, courts, and even classrooms,” as reported by The Charlotte Observer. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45, outpacing deaths from car accidents, gun violence, and even suicide. 

Grassroots organizations, such as the Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina, are working on the frontlines to combat the crisis. Barb Walsh, the executive director of the nonprofit, emphasized the urgent need to remove dealers from the streets. “A person like me — a person with a dead kid — I’m worried about getting dealers off the street,” she said to The Charlotte Observer. However, she also acknowledged the broader role that federal agencies play, stating that local efforts won’t matter unless there is national support.

While programs like PROTECT are a step in the right direction, the crisis extends far beyond North Carolina. Fentanyl is flooding into the U.S., often coming across the southern border, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott highlighting the massive amounts of the drug seized in his state. Lawmakers and activists alike are sounding the alarm, but with every day that passes, more lives are lost.

As the U.S. grapples with the opioid epidemic, the intersection of law enforcement, federal agencies, and grassroots organizations will be crucial in addressing the deadly fentanyl crisis that continues to devastate communities across the country.