The Montana Department of Justice reports that fentanyl-related overdoses have led to the deaths of over 250 Montanans from 2021 to 2024.
Even more struggle with addiction, both in the state and the nation.
It's a sobering statistic as state leaders worry a growing crisis could be spiraling out of control.
On Tuesday, state leaders joined to combat the opioid epidemic, which is hurting so many Montana families, especially since the pandemic.
See how the opioid epidemic impacted one Billings family below:
Behind every overdose is a person and their family. It's something Kim Edinger knows all too well.
"Without even meaning to, my son's life ended, just because he was taking things he shouldn't have. He was trying to ease his anxiety and depression," Edinger said.
In 2017, Edinger's 20-year-old son, Kaden Edinger, died after ingesting a pill laced with carfentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid.
"Drugs are bad, people aren't, and people make mistakes," Edinger said.
After coping with the painful death of her son, Edinger founded Overdose Awareness Montana, an organization that works to spread awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
"Just talking about it brings awareness, and just like with anything else, the more you talk about it, the more somebody else is going to say, 'us too,'" said Edinger.
Edinger talked about Overdose Awareness Montana and her son's experience with substance abuse on Tuesday at the Montana Department of Justice's Opioid Overdose Prevention Summit in Billings.
Along with Edinger, the summit's guest speakers included Attorney General Austin Knudsen, US Attorney Kurt Alme, state Rep. Jodee Etchart, and state Sen. Sue Vinton, both of Billings.
"We're here spreading awareness on what we are seeing and what we are experiencing in the field," said Steven Crawford, the narcotics bureau chief with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
According to Crawford, the state Department of Justice is working to target the opioid epidemic head-on, especially considering that fentanyl overdoses have increased in the state by 1,900% since 2017.
According to the Department of Justice, 258 people from the years 2021 to 2024 died from fentanyl-related overdoses. Of those, 80 died in 2023.
"Nowhere in Montana is immune. We've seen a variance in rates, but we've also seen variances in very rural parts of the state, and then also our population centers," said Crawford.
Even though the number of fentanyl-related overdoses has significantly increased since the pandemic, Crawford said there was a large decrease in 2024. He said 55 people died from fentanyl-related overdoses last year.
Crawford says the decrease in overdoses may be due to an increase in law enforcement and stricter punishment for distributing fentanyl, and a decrease in fentanyl supply.
"We're asking the challenging questions on how do we get better, and what can we be doing differently in order to respond to a threat, and an issue," he said.
Even though fentanyl-related overdoses are decreasing in the state, Crawford and Edinger say awareness and advocacy is just as important.
"I think just like mental illness, it's getting talked about more now. Drug use is getting talked about more now," said Edinger.
"It shouldn't be a stigma to have Narcan. It's like the pocket mask of today. It can save lives," said Crawford. "Just be aware of family members. You know, nobody is immune to this."
To learn more about fentanyl and its dangers, see this pamphlet by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
