RICHMOND, Va. -- As overdose deaths associated with fentanyl continue to impact families both in Virginia and across the United States, state lawmakers have a slew of related bills to consider during this year's General Assembly session.
Karleen Wolanin, the founder of Virginia Fentanyl and Substance Awareness, said fentanyl overdose can happen to anyone.
"All it takes is one time, one pill," she said.
Wolanin spoke from experience as her daughter, now an adult, has dealt with mental illness and substance use issues since middle school.
"As my daughter got older, her substance got worse. And just this past Christmas night, she OD'd on fentanyl," Wolanin said.
Her daughter survived and has been drug-free for the last month.
Wolanin founded Virginia Fentanyl and Substance Awareness last year to advocate and educate parents. This year, she's asking state lawmakers to help educate in schools.
"The more that we keep talking about it, the more we keep showing like, 'Hey, there's a problem happening here.' That is where we're going to create change," she said.
One House bill she supports is co-patroned by a Republican and Democrat and would direct the Department of Education to develop age-appropriate teaching materials.
"We really need to eliminate the stigma associated with substance use," Co-patron Del. Carrie Coyner (R - Chesterfield County) said. "We really need to make sure that our children and their families understand that fentanyl is in things that you would never guess."
"I think that it's a matter of us catching up with the younger generation and knowing that this is happening and addressing it and in a way that can educate the public," added co-patron Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler (D - Virginia Beach (part).
The issue of drugs in schools in Virginia made national news last November when eight students overdosed at a Loudoun County high school over several weeks.
Concerns about timely notification of parents led to an executive order from Governor Glenn Youngkin requiring it within 24 hours and Democratic State Senator Jennifer Carroll Foy is now looking to codify that requirement.
"We want there to be open dialogue so parents can have conversations at the kitchen table with their kids about what's going on. This is a great bill for transparency and notifications," Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D - Fairfax County) said.
To go along with the education and alerts, another bill from Republican State Senator Todd Pillion would require Naloxone, which can counter the effects of an overdose, be placed in all elementary and high schools and train staff in its use. It would also develop and encourage training for high school students.
"We want to make sure that we're continuing to put every agent that we can out, every tool in the toolbox, so we can make sure that the students are equipped. I believe that learning how to administer Naloxone is just as important as CPR," State Sen. Todd Pillion (R - Buchanan County) said.
Wolanin said she was encouraged to see so much bipartisan support on the issue.
"That's what we need to do as a community we have to work together," she said. "That's how we're going to make a change in Virginia."
A spokesperson for Gov. Glenn Youngkin sent the following statement to CBS 6 when asked about his plans for any of the above legislation if it reaches his desk:
"Governor Youngkin launched a comprehensive plan to fight Virginia's fentanyl crisis [governor.virginia.gov] across public safety, prevention, education, and treatment sectors that includes structural changes to better position Virginia to fight the epidemic and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin has launched a pilot program ItOnlyTakesOneVA to raise awareness on the dangers of fentanyl. While Governor Youngkin will review any legislation that comes to his desk, he has made it a priority to ensure every school in Virginia has a supply of naloxone and Virginia is taking every necessary step to combat the fentanyl epidemic together."
