Last December, as the last Board was hearing presentations on how to spend Shasta County's Opioid Settlement Funds, I sat down with Dr. Mercedes Patee to understand what really happens when people take opioids.

Dr. Mercedes Patee describes how opioids change brain chemistry, making it very difficult for those who become addicted to opioids, including fentanyl, to stop using the drugs. Dr. Patee also explains why medical detox is often necessary to help people stop using, and medically assisted treatment dramatically increases the success rate.This is part of my ongoing investigation into the opioid crisis in Shasta County, intended to inform how the County distributes $39M in Opioid Settlement Funds.