On October 19, 2022, DEA agents seized approximately 12,000 pills of fentanyl, a potent synthetic drug, at the LAX airport — all hidden in “Skittles”, “Whoppers”, and “SweetTarts” boxes. With Halloween just around the corner, the unregulated spread of opioid usage poses a major concern for youth in the U.S.
Opioids were responsible for 9,000 youth deaths between 1999 and 2018, of which fentanyl is involved in the majority. The problem is only growing; the Orange County community has seen a continuous upward trend in fentanyl abuse, seeing 555 deaths within the last year alone. Fentanyl’s relatively low cost makes it more attractive to users, which only increases the likelihood of youth accessing the drug.
Presently, Orange County is a part of “Fentanyl is Forever,” a public campaign designed to spread awareness throughout the county and state. However, there are no apparent signs of drug decrease or evidence of the campaign’s success. Several counties that had implemented the campaign, including Ventura County and Santa Barbara County, saw no change in the trend of fentanyl abuse.
Melanie’s Law, a litigation to stop fentanyl overdose and abuse in middle and high schools across the state of California, was passed by Governor Newsom on Oct. 13, 2023. Named in honor of Melanie Ramos, a 15-year old girl who died by a fentanyl overdose, the litigation aims to spread awareness and information about fentanyl and opioid prevention to students, educators, and families. The law aims to counteract fentanyl’s fatal impacts by training educators about the dangers of fentanyl while also providing schools with life-saving opioid medication. Melanie’s Law serves as a stepping stone to solving the fentanyl crisis in California.
The fentanyl crisis will only worsen in the United States if necessary measures are not taken to curb overdoses of the potent substance. Thus, in order to protect youth from the detrimental effects of fentanyl and the lasting impact it may have, the federal government must strengthen current legal enforcements. The U.S. has certain statutes and litigations that send any person caught importing, dealing, or administering fentanyl without prescription to jail for several years. However, this is not a permanent solution to the ongoing fentanyl crisis at hand; it only introduces a cyclical dealing of illegal opioids in the nation. To effectively deal with the issue regarding fentanyl, more clear laws must be enforced to restrict access to fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a drug that can harm adults and children alike. Such overdose of opioids could lead to disastrous consequences, and only due to the state and the county’s failure to uphold satisfactory and necessary litigations. The only solution is for the county to implement legal change to limit and regulate fentanyl access.
