The opioid and fentanyl crisis has hit our communities hard. Sadly, a whopping 68 percent of overdose deaths in Washington are from opioids and fentanyl. Even more alarming, our state had the second-highest percentage increase—65 percent—in deaths from fentanyl poisoning over a one-year period.
Deaths related to opioids and fentanyl have risen alarmingly quickly among young people. For every 100,000 people aged 14-18 in our state, more than 10 percent of those deaths are due to opioid or fentanyl overdoses. In fact, in 2023, 190 youth under 24 died from opioid or fentanyl overdoses. For all people under 30, the leading cause of death is from an opioid or fentanyl overdose. In fact, in 2023, 190 youth under 24 died from opioid or fentanyl overdoses. For all people under 30, the leading cause of death is from an opioid or fentanyl overdose. 342 young people under 25 in Pierce County alone over a two–year period (2020-2022) visited an emergency room for drug poisoning and there were 60 youth deaths. The dangers of these drugs know no boundaries and strike in all communities—and are especially hard on Washington’s native, Black, and brown population.
Rep. Mari Leavitt (D-University Place) is a mother and cannot imagine losing a child. Yet, a mother from her district did—and the two women began meeting and working together to create House Bill 1956, a piece of legislation that would require all school districts in Washington to provide information and resources to middle and high school students about the dangers of opioids and fentanyl. Maria Petty, the mother of Lucas Petty, the young man who passed away from fentanyl poisoning a few years ago, worked with Leavitt to spare other families from similar pain.
HB 1956, known as the Lucas Petty Act, passed the House unanimously. It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
“Our youth need to understand the dangers of these illicit substances and understand the high stakes involved of not knowing where a pill comes from. So many of our children seek pills from friends or social media to treat pain or for other reasons, not knowing that the pills they consumed were counterfeits with lethal doses—just two milligrams can kill someone—of fentanyl,” said Leavitt. “Our youth also need to know the warning signs of substance use disorder both in themselves and in their peers.”
HB 1956 would ensure important community partnerships with the state’s Department of Health, city and county public health officials, the state’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, school districts, tribal leaders, education service districts, the state’s Department of Children, Youth, & Families, and other educational entities.
“We owe it to our youth to act now. Any death from an overdose is one death too many,” concluded Leavitt.
If someone does something illegal with a gun, you want to blame and ban guns.
If someone does something illegal with an illegal drug that flowed in from a criminal cartel through our open southern border, you want to educate people on the perils of illegal drug use, while also championing the legalization of recreational drugs.
Any other politically-loaded double standards we should know about?