Davids Discusses Fentanyl Epidemic with Local Education Professionals
Today, Representative Sharice Davids joined local superintendents, school resource officers, and law enforcement officials for her third summit regarding the growing threat of fentanyl, the number one cause of overdose deaths in the United States. The group discussed the impact the fentanyl crisis has on students and how Davids can better advocate in Congress for Kansas youth. Davids previously supported legislation allowing schools to use leftover COVID-19 relief dollars to purchase naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.
Davids’ first summit convened local, state, and federal law enforcement officials to discuss long-term solutions to combatting the fentanyl crisis. At her second summit, she was joined by health care workers to discuss the challenges faced when caring for fentanyl-related overdose patients.
Rep. Sharice Davids speaks with local education leaders and law enforcement on combatting the fentanyl crisis.
“In our state and around the country, the fentanyl crisis has become a public health emergency, with our youth being hit the hardest because they often don’t know the devastating impacts until it’s too late,” said Davids. “Like my previous two summits with law enforcement and health care professionals, I am committed to working with the educational leaders I met with today to fight this crisis head-on, because one death is one too many. With increased collaboration from all corners of our community, we can help save lives.”
“We understand and acknowledge the serious threat of fentanyl in our community because our schools are a reflection of the community,” said Dr. Cory Gibson, Superintendent of Schools, USD 232. “Our school administrators and mental health professionals are working to educate our youth and their families to help raise awareness of the hidden dangers. Having elected officials take up the banner of drawing attention to what has become a national crisis will only further efforts to protect lives.”
“We recognize the dangers that fentanyl is presenting in our community and therefore have committed to an increased awareness, education, and prevention in Olathe Public Schools,” said Matt Johnson, Olathe Director of Activities and Athletics.
“Have the conversation now with your children, do it before it’s too late,” said Dan Neill, Director, Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
“Fentanyl in the drug supply poses an especially dangerous risk for young people experimenting with drug use,” said Casey Johnson, Harm Reduction Specialist, FirstCallKC. “Because fentanyl in small doses can be lethal and it’s often undetectable, the threshold for experimentation is incredibly shallow leaving young people especially vulnerable to fatal overdose. First Call knows every overdose death is preventable. With tools and practices ranging from prevention to access to overdose reversal medication and fentanyl test strips, we can inform our youth better than ever and make meaningful strides in keeping them safe, healthy, and alive.”
Rep. Sharice Davids holding a box of Narcan, a common naloxone nasal spray used to reverse opioid overdoses.
Summit attendees included administration and school resource officers from the Shawnee Mission; Kansas City, Kansas; Olathe; and De Soto School Districts. Representatives from FirstCallKC, a local organization working to reduce the impact of alcohol, drugs, and addiction in the Kansas City area, and the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) also participated in the conversation.
Last year, Davids met with Libby Davis, a Johnson County resident, whose son passed away after taking a counterfeit pill that was unknowingly laced with fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine and is increasingly found in fake prescription pills such as Vicodin, OxyContin, or hydrocodone. Following their meeting, Davids co-sponsored and helped pass legislation through the House that creates a public awareness campaign about synthetic opioids through the Department of Health and Human Services.
Davids, a member of the bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus, has been a vocal advocate around fentanyl and opioid death prevention and has taken several legislative actions based on the specific needs of the Kansas Third District, including:
- Hosting a Facebook Live conversation with Blue Valley School District and Johnson County Mental Health Center about opioid use in schools.
- Joining a bipartisan group of lawmakers to request funding for new handheld mass spectrometry trace level chemical detection devices at domestic ports.
- Urging the FDA to take up expert recommendations and make Narcan, a common naloxone nasal spray, available without a prescription—which they did earlier this year.
- Voting to permanently place all fentanyl-related substances into a schedule I class, labeling the drug with a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical value.
Community members looking to learn more about how to keep their families safe can visit the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Kansas City-focused website. Resources and prevention services for individuals, families, schools, and others are available.