New data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has revealed that U.S. drug overdose deaths reached a new high in 2023 – and deaths from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids also reached a new high.
In response to this alarming news, Families Against Fentanyl, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of illicit fentanyl, is calling for President Joe Biden to establish a White House Task Force dedicated to the nation’s illicit fentanyl and overdose crisis.
The CDC estimates that more than 111,000 Americans died from a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending in April — and more than 77,000 of those deaths involved fentanyl and other synthetic opioids other than methadone.
“This is alarming news and it should serve as a wake-up call to our leaders in Washington that more must be done — fast! We are calling on President Biden to immediately convene a White House task force dedicated to the overdose and fentanyl crisis that is taking so many American lives,” said Families Against Fentanyl founder Jim Rauh, who lost his son to illicit fentanyl poisoning in 2015.
“For thousands of families across this country, this is a matter of life or death. We need someone in the West Wing who is accountable directly to the President for leading the government’s response to this crisis. We need regular public briefings and real-time data. Americans deserve to know what is being done to save lives, and what is being done to uncover and stop the international manufacturers and traffickers of illicit fentanyl. This is the number one killer of our nation’s young adults. It is killing more and more children each year. There is nothing more valuable than our people. From one father to another, I’m urging President Biden to establish a White House task force immediately and demand emergency action," added Rauh.
In December 2021, Families Against Fentanyl released its groundbreaking finding that fentanyl was the No. 1 cause of death among Americans ages 18 to 45.
Fentanyl continues to be the No. 1 cause of death of Americans 18 to 45 and the new data from the CDC show deaths are continuing to increase.
Families Against Fentanyl has brought together thousands of families and bipartisan leaders calling for innovative action to stop drug-related deaths and save other families from the nightmare of losing a loved one to fentanyl poisoning.
More than 78,000 people have signed on to FAF’s petition calling for the US to designate illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.
Bipartisan leaders including former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and former CIA Director John Brennan joined with Families Against Fentanyl to warn of the threat posed by illicit fentanyl and urged President Biden to designate illicit fentanyl and its analogues as weapons of mass destruction.
Families Against Fentanyl is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the illicit fentanyl crisis and advocating for federal action.
The organization was founded by James Rauh of Akron, Ohio after his son was killed by fentanyl poisoning in 2015.
Families Against Fentanyl has become a leading voice for fentanyl awareness, bringing together thousands of families and producing research cited by leaders across the United States and around the world.
U.S. fentanyl deaths reach new high; group calls for White House Fentanyl Task Force
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