On Tuesday, a large dump truck sat at the State Capitol as a backdrop for a press conference that featured families of fentanyl overdose and poisoning victims, law enforcement officials, public safety advocates, and lawmakers.
The dump truck represented the 28,000 pounds of fentanyl seized in California last year, which is about 10 percent of the estimated 280,000 pounds of fentanyl circulating in the state, said Assemblyman Republican Leader James Gallagher.
“One pill can kill,” Gallagher said. “One pill.”
The press conference was held to demand the state Public Safety Committee consider several bipartisan bills aimed to hold drug dealers accountable through tougher punishments.
“Fentenyl is now the leading cause of death for young adults in the United States, surpassing suicides, gun violence, and car accidents,” said Orange County Assemblywoman Janet Q. Nguyen. “This crisis demands immediate action.”
Nguyen’s bill, AB 62, which would have enhanced sentencing based on the quantity of fentanyl confiscated, failed to make it out of the Public Safety Committee.
In recent months, the Assembly Public Safety Committee killed a number of proposed bills to fight the fentanyl epidemic, including AB 18, to warn dealers they could be convicted of murder if someone dies from drugs they sold, and AB 701, to impose fines on fentanyl dealers for the damage they inflict.
In March, the Public Safety Committee Chair Reginald Jones Sawyer announced the committee would stop considering bills relating to fentanyl for the remainder of the legislative session, including AB 1508, which would recognize the extremely potent nature of fentanyl and increase penalties for dealers; AB 33, to create a Fentanyl Addiction and Overdose Prevention Task Force, and AB 955, to increase penalties for selling fentanyl through social media.
“For the Chairman of the Public Safety Committee to sit on these bills is a dereliction of duty,” said Assemblyman Bill Essayli, who believes fentanyl legislation to put fentanyl dealers behind bars is an urgent priority.
Yuba City teacher Natalie Page-Whiteaker, whose brother died from unknowingly taking a fentanyl-laced pill, was among several people who shared their stories of loss and their struggle to secure justice.
“Fentanyl is in our streets; it’s in our schools,” Whiteaker said. “I’ve seen the deals go down in our parking lot at the high school; it’s even on our playgrounds. Fentanyl does not care how old you are, where you come from, or how much money you make. If you take it, it will kill you.”
In March, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a $1 billion plan for tackling the fentanyl crisis, largely for support services and Naloxone distribution.
California legislators and district attorneys at Tuesday’s press conference, who likened fentanyl dealers to serial killers, said a plan without tougher criminal penalties won’t solve the crisis.
“Thousands of Californians will be killed by fentanyl in the coming months because of the Public Safety Committee’s inaction,” Gallagher said. “Capitol Democrats have prioritized criminals for too long. It’s time to protect Californians by holding fentanyl dealers accountable for the poison they’re pushing into our communities.”
Many speaking at the press conference called for the public to contact their state representatives and demand they take immediate action.
“They work for you,” Essayli said.
According to Angela Webb, executive director of Arrive Alive, who also spoke at the conference, said six out of 10 pills sold illegally on social media to unsuspecting customers as safe, pharmaceutical grade prescription pills are laced with fentanyl, a cheap, synthetic, and potentially lethal substitute.
“The opioid epidemic has morphed into a poisoning,” Webb said.
Fentanyl causes approximately 200 deaths a day, the equivalent of an airplane crashing every day or a 9-11 event every two weeks, yet the Legislature remains divided on criminal punishments or holding drug dealers accountable, officials said.
“The topic is political and polarizing,” Webb said. “But this is not a red issue, it’s not a blue issue, it’s a red, white, and blue issue.” ■