This week, I introduced the bipartisan Stop Overdose in Schools Act to address the skyrocketing adolescent fentanyl overdose rate.
The mortality rate from illicit fentanyl and synthetics among our adolescents has increased dramatically in just the past few years, and after conversation with my Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force, it has become quite clear that Central Washington law enforcement and school resource officers need more support. The Stop Overdose in Schools Act will be critical in fighting the fentanyl crisis and preventing drug-related overdose deaths.
This landmark legislation would set aside funding for naloxone training and purchasing, increase naloxone access for school resource officers, security personnel, and school nurses, and prioritize funding for rural and high-drug activity school districts.
I have long been an advocate for fighting the fentanyl crisis, from introducing major pieces of legislation such as the Law Enforcement Officers Preventing Overdose Deaths Act, the William and James Wonacott Act, and the Save Americans from the Fentanyl Emergency Act, to conducting quarterly meetings with my Fentanyl Task Force to work on actionable solutions.
While there is no "silver-bullet" to solving this crisis, I am confident that, if enacted, the Stop Overdose in Schools Act will play a vital role in creating a safer future for our families and communities.
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