Sen. John Cornyn hosted a roundtable discussion last week at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas during which he spoke about the urgent need to address the fentanyl crisis gripping the United States.
At the gathering of politicians, law enforcement officials, healthcare leaders, and community advocates, Cornyn (R-TX) spoke on the severity of the situation, citing recent data that showed how over 80 million fentanyl-laced pills were seized by the DEA this year alone, reported The Dallas Morning News.
Cornyn said no one intentionally overdoses, saying of people suffering from drug addiction, “They think they’re getting something else.”
The senator, along with Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), introduced the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act on August 1. This proposed legislation aims to amend the Controlled Substances Act by mandating serial numbers on pill presses, which are currently used both legally and illicitly. The goal is to make it easier for law enforcement to track and seize these machines, which are crucial tools in the production of dangerous counterfeit pills.
Despite these efforts, Cornyn conceded during the discussion that combating the fentanyl epidemic remains a big challenge.
The roundtable also shed light on the local and personal impact of the crisis. Melody Gardner, managing director of the North Texas Poison Center at Parkland Health, reported a staggering 430% increase in fentanyl-related calls over the past five years. Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot also revealed that his office has handled 1,457 fentanyl cases since September 2022, with nearly half resolved, according to The Dallas Morning News.
In addition to statements from officials, personal stories from families affected by the crisis highlighted the human cost of the epidemic.
Amy Brewer and Stephanie Vaughn, who lost their daughters to fentanyl poisoning, are now advocates for increased awareness and resources, Brewer, who founded the nonprofit Marissa’s Voice in memory of her daughter, and Vaughn, who is active in community education, both stressed the urgent need for continued vigilance and action to fight the fentanyl epidemic in Texas.
“The fentanyl crisis in Texas has reached alarming levels, and it’s essential for leaders to prioritize comprehensive strategies that address awareness, prevention and treatment,” Cheryl Brown-Merriwether, executive director of the International Center for Addiction and Recovery, told The Dallas Express. “This crisis doesn’t just affect individuals; it impacts families, communities, workplaces and the very fabric of our society.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment for Dallas County, part of the Overdose Data to Action initiative, showed a rise in opioid overdoses and a shortage of rehabilitation resources.
From 2018 to 2023, incidents of non-fatal opioid-specific overdoses nearly doubled, and the death toll from generalized overdoses has been steadily increasing.