My brother, a beloved member of our community, tragically lost his life last week due to drugs laced with fentanyl. This personal tragedy is not an isolated incident but part of a larger, devastating epidemic that is sweeping across Alabama and the entire nation.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has been increasingly found in illicit drug supplies causing an alarming rise in overdose deaths. In 2019 alone, synthetic opioids like fentanyl were involved in nearly 73% of all opioid-involved overdose deaths nationwide as per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data.

Alabama is no stranger to this crisis. Our state has one of the highest rates of prescription opioid use in the country and we are now seeing these deadly synthetic opioids infiltrating our communities at an unprecedented rate.

We cannot stand by while this silent killer takes away our loved ones. We need immediate action from local government officials and health authorities to address this escalating crisis through increased funding for education about drug misuse, improved access to treatment services for those struggling with addiction, and stricter regulation on prescription opioids.

By signing this petition you're standing up against the fentanyl epidemic that's tearing families apart across Alabama. Together we can bring light into this dark issue and push for change that could save countless lives.