I’m a recovering addict in Cortez. And I’ve been trying tirelessly to get a rehab facility in Cortez to no avail. The drug task force says that Cortez is one of the main drug trafficking hubs for the cartel. So please tell me why Cortez isn’t getting funds to build a rehab? The fentanyl problem is increasing drastically and people are dying. And the only answer is to throw people in jail, which doesn’t solve anything.

Why don’t we use money to help addicts so they don’t go back to jail, instead of throwing them away like trash? If you take away the people who pay for the drugs, then there is no profit and the drugs go somewhere else. We need a detox, rehab or at least a sober-living facility in the Cortez area. We need the community to understand just how bad these addicts need help and want help.

Jessey Stiegelmeyer

Cortez