Fentanyl Is Killing Our Families - Michael English

Fentanyl Is Killing Our Families - Michael English

The State of Rhode Island has long used AIDS and marijuana as benchmarks for determining safer drug practices and appropriate sentencing. However, the emergence of fentanyl demands a different approach. Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It is responsible for a growing number of overdose deaths, and its presence in our communities is a serious public health concern.

 

Unlike other drugs, even a small amount of fentanyl can be fatal. Just 2mg is enough to kill. This makes it unlike any other drug we have seen before, and it requires a new approach to sentencing.

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Currently, drug dealers are often sentenced to short prison terms, even for dealing large quantities of fentanyl. This is not enough to deter people from selling this deadly drug. We need to send a strong message that dealing fentanyl will not be tolerated.

 

I propose that we give drug dealers a minimum of 20 years in prison for selling any amount of fentanyl. This may seem harsh, but it is necessary to protect our communities. Fentanyl is a killer, and we need to treat it as such.

 

Some may argue that this is a heavy-handed approach and that we should focus on treatment instead of punishment. However, we cannot afford to be soft on fentanyl dealers. They are knowingly selling a drug that is killing people. They need to be held accountable for their actions.

 

We also need to do more to educate people about the dangers of fentanyl. Many people are unaware of how potent this drug is. We need to get the word out that even a tiny amount can be fatal.

 

This is not just a problem for law enforcement. We all need to be leaders in the fight against fentanyl. We need to talk to our children about the dangers of drugs. We need to support our friends and family members who are struggling with addiction. And,we need to hold our elected officials accountable for taking action to address this crisis.

 

We cannot afford to wait any longer. Fentanyl is killing our loved ones. It is time to take a stand. Let's all be leaders in the fight against this evil in our community.

 

Michael English, D.Min, MBA, is a Rhode Island resident currently navigating disability after a fall at work, which sees the dangers of the drug crisis. It seems like law enforcement, and our politicians are failings.