88R33423 KSM-D
By: Menéndez S.R. No. 719
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Fentanyl Victims Remembrance Day is taking place on
September 23, 2023; and
WHEREAS, A highly addictive synthetic opioid, fentanyl has
fueled an alarming increase in overdose deaths, and it has impacted
communities across the nation, from large metropolitan areas to
rural counties; among Americans under the age of 50, the drug is
involved in a greater number of deaths than any other cause, proving
more lethal than cancer, heart disease, homicide, or suicide; as
little as two milligrams of fentanyl is a potentially deadly dose,
especially for individuals who do not have a tolerance to opioids;
and
WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl were involved in
67 percent of the more than 107,000 drug overdose and drug
poisoning deaths in the 12-month period ending in January 2022; in
some cases, the deaths were attributed to fentanyl mixed with other
substances, and many users were unaware that they were taking
fentanyl; and
WHEREAS, Each year, September 23 is set aside to honor and
remember all victims who tragically lost their lives to fentanyl
poisoning, to encourage support for their loved ones, and to warn
the public about the dangers posed by the drug; the observance is
led by fentanyl awareness organizations, community response teams,
and affected families; and
WHEREAS, More work remains to be done to assist the
individuals and communities impacted by fentanyl use, and Fentanyl
Victims Remembrance Day provides a fitting opportunity to affirm
our commitment to combatting this deadly drug threat; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature
hereby recognize September 23, 2023, as Fentanyl Victims
Remembrance Day and pay tribute to the memory of all those who have
died from fentanyl poisoning.