The devastation caused by fentanyl, and other powerful opioids, has touched communities across Colorado. Too many families have lost loved ones to overdose, and too many Coloradans continue to struggle with dangerous opioid use and addiction without access to the support and care they need. We all want solutions that save lives. We also believe people who profit from trafficking dangerous drugs should be held accountable.

But Proposition 132 is not the answer.

This November, Colorado voters will consider Proposition 132, a ballot measure that would increase criminal penalties for certain offenses related to controlled substances including fentanyl and other opioids, including lengthy mandatory minimum prison sentences.

Mental Health Colorado urges Coloradans to vote NO on Proposition 132. 

Decades of experience with the war on drugs have shown that increasing criminal penalties does not address the underlying causes of harmful substance use or create healthier, safer communities.

Proposition 132 threatens to impose severe consequences for some lower-level drug offenses while directing substantial public resources toward incarceration and the criminalization of vulnerable people, rather than strategies that can prevent overdose, support recovery, and improve health and safety in our communities for the good of us all.

Colorado has to do better than this. Please vote NO on Proposition 132.

An effective response to our crisis of opioid and other harmful substance use requires more than punishment. Colorado should prioritize evidence-based approaches that address harmful substance use and the risk of overdose through: 

• Greater access to healthcare and substance use care 
• Harmful use reduction and overdose prevention 
• Recovery and peer supports 
• Stable housing and other essential services 
• Prevention and early intervention 
• Accountability focused on those who manufacture and traffic dangerous drugs 

Every dollar Colorado spends responding to the deadly substance use crisis is an opportunity to invest in strategies that make a measurable difference. We should direct our resources toward approaches that prevent addiction, reduce overdose deaths, strengthen communities, and improve the health and well-being of Coloradans. 

Between now and Election Day, Mental Health Colorado will share information about Proposition 132, who could be affected, the costs of increased incarceration, and the evidence behind approaches that are more effective at addressing harmful substance use and overdose.

This November, we encourage Coloradans to vote NO on Proposition 132 and choose evidence-based solutions that save lives and promote healthier minds across the lifespan.