Daniel Lurie, the new SF Mayor, shared his intention to shut down “open-air fentanyl markets” in the city. According to the Times, fentanyl is responsible for most of the 3,300 drug deaths reported in San Francisco since 2020.

Children are dying every day from fentanyl. We need to save our youth and stop these needless deaths. As an educator, I’ve witnessed firsthand the effects fentanyl is having on our kids. We know the best way to combat this crisis is to focus on prevention and emotional intelligence. There is an urgent need for Vincent’s Law!

-PK Diffenbaugh, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Super Intendent

All Americans across the US, coast to coast, and in every community in between, have been harmed by fentanyl.

-US Drug Enforcement Administration

As an Addiction Medicine doctor, I often ask my patients how old they were when they started using drugs and alcohol. The most common answer I get is between ages 11 and 13. Education on drugs and alcohol that is timely and accurate is an essential part of the work that goes into preventing addiction. Now that the ultra-potent opioid fentanyl is a regular part of the illicit drug supply, it is even more urgent for our youth to get education on drugs and alcohol.

-Dr. Reb Close

With over 35 years working in public education, I believe that the opioid crisis is the greatest threat to the health of young people today. Opiates have an impact of some degree to every family regardless of economic and social status. Clear awareness for families and mandated education for young people is vital for saving lives.

-Beth Wodecki – Principal of Monterey Adult School

Reuters Special Report

Trump camp says China is ‘attacking’ U.S. with fentanyl.

Filed November 26^th 2024

Donald Trump’s return to power portends a shakeup in the U.S. approach to addressing America’s fentanyl crisis and what counternarcotics officials say is the biggest obstacle to solving it: China.

Advisors to the Republican president-elect’s transition team are advocating a much more aggressive posture towards Beijing over fentanyl than the one adopted by Democratic incumbent Joe Biden.

Already, Trump is signaling that to stem the flow of narcotics he will resort to his weapon of choice: tariffs.

In posts on Monday on Truth Social, his social network, he promised additional 10% tariffs on goods from China, and 25% duties on merchandise from Mexico and Canada. Trump claimed these nations have not taken strong enough action to stop illicit drugs, particularly fentanyl, from entering the United States. He said his many talks with China about stopping the flow of drugs were “to no avail.”

Trump’s advisors are likewise pushing for U.S. sanctions on Chinese financial institutions allegedly linked to the fentanyl trade. Trump will be the ultimate decider.