Friend,
I lost my son, Tyler, to a fentanyl and xylazine overdose in October of 2020. And there's nothing in the world I want more than to prevent other people from going through this.
Tyler had become dependent on opioids. And he repeatedly sought treatment. But I saw firsthand how he faced barrier after barrier in his search for help and healing. It opened my eyes to how desperately we need to change drug policies in this country. And that is true now more than ever.
Today, I’m a fierce advocate for a public health approach to drug use. I’m sharing my son’s story with you because I know a different approach could have saved his life. Criminalization punished him while he was already suffering and unable to access care. This desperation led to his death. We need to invest in compassionate treatment that addresses the underlying cause of problematic substance use and public health initiatives instead. People who are struggling need care, not more barriers.
I sat down with DPA to share more about:
No one should lose a child to overdose. My story is one of far too many. I hope you will share it, so more people can learn what we really need to prevent overdose deaths.
