CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Governor Jim Justice has declared May 10, 2022 to be National Fentanyl Awareness Day in the state of West Virginia.
In a proclamation signed on Tuesday, Governor Justice established National Fentanyl Awareness Day as “a day of education to raise public awareness that people are dying at alarming rates due to illegally made fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid.”
The proclamation recounts several statistics relating to the dangers of the opioid, including its involvement in the deaths of more American citizens under the age 50 than all other causes including cancer, heart disease, and all types of accidents.
In 2021, fentanyl was involved in over 75% of deaths brought about by overdose in West Virginia alone. Deaths of this type, specifically those among teenagers, have increased substantially, tripling in just the last two years.
The tasteless, odorless, inexpensive, and highly potent nature of the drug eliminates difficulty in passing the substance off as other medications such as Vicodin, Xanax, Oxycontin, and Percocet.
The proclamation touches on recent legislation pertaining to the control of fentanyl related deaths. This includes Senate Bill 536, which was signed into law in March, 2022, and substantially increases penalties for the knowing exposure of government workers, with emphasis on first responders, to the drug.
Also mentioned is House Bill 4373, which was also signed into law in March, 2022. This bill excludes fentanyl test strips from the definition of drug paraphernalia, which can provide an additional resource in the fight for overdose prevention.
Recovery is another talking point of the document, and the necessity of support resources and treatment programs in the progression and successful implementation of recovery from substance abuse is exclaimed as one of the final points of the proclamation.
Governor Justice’s latest proclamation can be read in full here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, treatment and recovery resources are available here.