Charleston Leader

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) along with a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues, introduced a resolution to designate May 7, 2024, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day. The resolution is led by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), and aims to highlight and educate the public about the dangers of counterfeit fentanyl pills.

Senator Capito expressed her concern about the issue, stating, “West Virginia has felt the deadly consequences of the addiction crisis directly, and many of those scars remain with our communities and our families. Fentanyl and counterfeit fentanyl pills have largely contributed this destruction, which is why efforts need to continue to increase awareness and stop these drugs from flowing into our communities entirely.”

Recent years have seen a surge in drug overdose deaths. Over a twelve-month period from November 2022 to November 2023, there were 109,000 recorded deaths due largely to the proliferation of fentanyl. In 2023 alone, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized more than 79.5 million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills - an increase of 37 percent from 2022. The agency estimates that 70% of these laced pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.

Counterfeit fentanyl pills are often marketed to young Americans through social media channels. Illicit fentanyl is involved in more youth deaths than all other drug types combined. By the end of 2022, only 48% of American youth were aware of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills.

The full text of the resolution can be found here.