Governor Greg Abbott today issued a proclamation declaring October 2024 as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month to raise awareness and educate Texans about the dangers of fentanyl to save more lives.
“Fentanyl is a clandestine killer that rips away loved ones forever,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas continues to take significant action to combat the growing fentanyl crisis that is plaguing our state and our nation. Last year, I signed a law designating October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in Texas to ensure all Texans, particularly our children, know about the dangers of deadly fentanyl. As part of Texas’ ongoing ‘One Pill Kills’ campaign, we are raising awareness about the deadly consequences of fentanyl and educating Texans on how to prevent, recognize, and reverse fentanyl poisonings to protect a family member, friend, and neighbor. Working together, we can fight back to save countless lives from this deadly threat.”
View the Governor’s proclamation here.
Fentanyl is the No. 1 killer of Americans ages 18-45. Fentanyl-related deaths in Texas increased over 600% from 2019 to 2023, taking the lives of more than 7,000 innocent Texans in just 4 years. This crisis affects the lives of everyone, tearing away friends and family members from their loved ones. Knowing how to recognize the signs of fentanyl poisoning and having open conversations about the dangers of fentanyl can help save a life.
WATCH: Texas Is Fighting The Fentanyl Crisis
Last year, Governor Abbott signed four pivotal laws to combat the growing national fentanyl crisis:
House Bill 6 (Goldman/Huffman) creates a criminal offense of murder for supplying fentanyl that results in death, enhances the criminal penalty for the manufacturing or delivery of fentanyl, and requires deaths caused by fentanyl to be designated as fentanyl toxicity or fentanyl poisoning on a death certificate. Current law does not require such classification on a death certificate, with most fentanyl-related deaths currently classified as an overdose.
House Bill 3144 (Lujan/Campbell) establishes October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month to help increase awareness of the dangers of fentanyl.
House Bill 3908 (Wilson/Creighton), also known as Tucker’s Law, requires public schools each year to provide research-based instruction on fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness to students grades 6 through 12. The bill also requires the Governor to designate a Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week.
Senate Bill 867 (West/Rose) allows the distribution of opioid antagonists, including life-saving NARCAN, to Texas colleges and universities to prevent opioid poisonings.