Dear 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 pain. That’s why I’m asking you, and so many others who have lost family members to overdose, to join me in demanding Trump and Congress prioritize public health over punishment. 

My son repeatedly sought treatment but faced barrier after barrier in his search for help and healing. Criminalization punished him while he was already suffering and blocked his access to adequate care. This desperation led to his death.

Today, I’m a fierce advocate for health-based solutions to drug use. I honor my son’s loss by fighting for what he needed: access to effective, on-demand treatment and overdose prevention services.  

If you’ve also lost family members to overdose, you understand our shared goal is to save lives. Join us by signing on to our letter demanding health-based solutions that prevent overdoses and provide the care our loved ones urgently need, including:

• Making treatment available on demand. People who are ready for help face barriers of long waitlists, high costs, and too few providers.
• Expanding access to lifesaving addiction medications like buprenorphine and methadone. These medications cut overdose risk in half and reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.  
• Distributing naloxone in communities with the highest overdose rates. This lifesaving medication reverses opioid overdoses in seconds and should be widely available, but especially for those who need it most.
• Supporting overdose prevention services. The drug supply is unpredictable, and fentanyl poses serious risks. Syringe programs prevent disease, test strips detect fentanyl, and overdose prevention centers respond to overdoses, divert drug use away from public spaces, and connect people to care. 
• Promoting evidence-based drug education, so all youth and adults have the information they need to prevent use, stay safe, or pursue recovery. 

No other parent or family member should have to bury their loved one. Let's join together in urging Trump and Congress to prioritize health-based solutions, so no other families join our ranks. We know what our loved ones needed, and we will continue to fight for it. 

In solidarity, 
Susan Ousterman 
Mother and Advocate