APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER KALB
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY ADMIN ISTRATOR TO
INITIATE A CONVERSATION WITH DEFENSE DIAGNOSTIC, INC. A
CALIFORNIA-BASED PUBLIC HE ALTH AND SAFETY BUSINESS
INCLUDING (1) RECEIVING AN INFORMATIONAL REPORT ON
THEIR CAPABILITIES, TECHNOLOGIES, AND POTENTIAL
CONTRIBUTIONS TO ADD RESSING THE FENTANYL HEAL TH
CRISIS AND (2) EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF SEEKING
GRANTS AND IMPLEM ENTING A FE NTANYL DETECTION PILOT
PROGRAM TO HELP ADDRESS THE FENTANYL HEALTH CRISIS IN
OAKLAND
WHEREAS, Fentanyl began appearing in Oakland as part of the broader U.S. opioid crisis, which gained significant traction in the late 2010s. While exact dates for its first detection in Oakland specifically may vary, its presence in the Bay Area, including Alameda County, became more prominent during this period; and
WHEREAS, Defense Diagnostic, Inc. offers a smart, targeted approach to fentanyl detection, providing a user -friendly, reliable detection solution aimed at protecting a wide array of at -risk individuals, including youth, socially active people, the unhoused community, and others who may be vulnerable to unintentional fentanyl exposure. With this program recognizing the widespread impact of the fentanyl crisis in Oakland and overdose rates significantly exceeding the California state average in multiple district s, this calls attention to the disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations, including unhoused individuals, African Americans, and young adults aged 25-44; and
WHEREAS, in mid-2010 Fentanyl began infiltrating the street drug supply across the U.S., including in Northern California. Initially, it was mixed with other drugs like heroin or pressed into counterfeit pills , the proliferation of fentanyl has severely affected Oakland's unhoused population, and i n 2017-2018 there was a rise in fentanyl related overdoses followed by a deepening crisis in the 2020s; and
WHEREAS, fentanyl, a dangerous and deadly opioid, could be used to lace other illicit substances with to make them cheaper, more powerful, and more addictive; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, fentanyl was implicated in 81% of opioid overdose deaths in Alameda County. As a growing issue nationally, there is research that indicates that there have been 21.5 deaths per 100,000 residents in Oakland; and
2 WHEREAS, addressing the opioid crisis in Oakland could have far -reaching implications for both public health and resource allocation , and b y reducing opioid -related emergencies, we could free up resources for emergency services, allowing first responders to focus on other pressing community health needs; and
WHEREAS, the City should reach out to the Alameda County Health Services Agency to understand the County’s role in reducing fentanyl drug dependency and to coordinate any outreach program the city of Oakland may establish; and WHEREAS: Defense Diagnostic, Inc. has proven technology that makes it easier to detect fentanyl with an all-in-one harm reduction device, now therefore be it
RESOLVED: that the City Administrator is authorized to initiate a conversation with Defense Diagnostic, Inc. and to receive an informational report from them on their fent anyl detection technology and their potential contribution to addressing the fent anyl health crisis in Oakland, and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED : that the City Administrat or is authorized to seek grants to implement a fentanyl detection pilot program in Oakland to help address the fentanyl health and overdose crisis.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID, AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
3387584/LL
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