Could this encourage more drug use? A new proposal from a California state lawmaker is calling for schools to be provided with Narcan kits in what he argues is an effort to reduce fentanyl-related overdose deaths among young people.
State Sen. Dave Cortese (D) announced Monday that he plans to introduce a bill during the upcoming legislative session. The proposal aims to focus on raising awareness about the perils of fentanyl while also increasing the distribution of the anti-opioid medications Naloxone/Narcan wherever high amounts of youth are present.
The state senator told reporters that the bill will instruct counties to establish Behavioral Health Advisory Councils, place fentanyl prevention groups at schools, supply schools with Narcan kits and teaching on how to use them, and create a “restorative justice framework” for unwitting possession of fentanyl-laced drugs.
“We can’t continue to wait for more youth to fall victim to the deadly impact of fentanyl, and we must take action now,” Cortese told reporters Monday, adding that his proposed legislation aims to get to the “root” of the crisis through a “preventative approach.”
Proposals by Democrats to go soft on and in some cases even aid illegal drug use have been seen before. The Biden administration, for instance, was seen handing out crack pipes as part of a so-called “safe smoking kit” back in May. White House officials have repeatedly denied this charge despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary.
CNN has attempted to deny such a reality as well, running an article titled, “Fact Check: Biden admin isn’t funding crack pipes.”
Some users on social media networks such as Twitter have poked fun at the Biden administration. A poster below can be seen sharing a meme with Joe Biden’s name and face plastered onto a crack pipe:
crack pipe manufacturing at all time high pic.twitter.com/FRJIbfcGgk
— Bambi (@PAHeartland) November 7, 2022
This suggested bill from Cortese comes after a report by The Mercury News charged that one out of every five deaths among 15 to 24-year-old Californians occurred as a result of a fentanyl overdose or poisoning. The golden state recorded 6,843 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2021, 5,722 of which were related to a fentanyl overdose, per data from the state’s Overdose Surveillance Dashboard.
