Sen. Rick Scott Sends Letter to School Superintendents Urging Education on the Dangers of Fentanyl

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to superintendents of Florida schools, raising concerns regarding the dangers of the ongoing fentanyl crisis. This devastating epidemic continues to claim lives at an alarming rate, and its impact is felt deeply in communities throughout Florida. Following a roundtable discussion earlier this year, where he heard the concerns from families, law enforcement and subject-matter experts, Senator Scott is urging schools to bring educational programs on fentanyl awareness to students as they begin the school year.

Senator Scott continues to be a leader in combating the lethal fentanyl crisis. Earlier this Congress, Senator Scott's bipartisan legislation, the Eradicating Narcotic Drugs and Formulating Effective New Tools to Address National Yearly Losses of Life (END FENTANYL) Act, was signed into law by President Joe Biden. The END FENTANYL Act requires the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to update its policies at least once every three years to ensure operational field manuals, including their drug interdiction guidance, are up to date. This legislation builds off the 2019 GAO report, "Land Ports of Entry: CBP Should Update Policies and Enhance Analysis of Inspections," which found that drug interdiction guidance has not been updated in 20 years. The END FENTANYL Act was cosponsored by Senators Jacky Rosen, Mike Braun, Maggie Hassan and Mark Kelly. Representatives Michael Guest and David Trone led the charge in the House of Representatives.

Senator Rick Scott wrote, "As we embark on another school year, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for your unwavering dedication to the education and well-being of Florida's children. Your leadership is crucial in shaping the future of our state and nation, and your efforts often go unrecognized despite their profound impact… One of the most pressing issues we face is the ongoing fentanyl crisis. This devastating epidemic continues to claim lives at an alarming rate, and its impact is felt deeply in our communities. In 2023, over 107,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses, with fentanyl being the leading cause of death among individuals aged 18 to 49.[1] Florida remains one of the hardest-hit states, with thousands of families mourning the loss of loved ones.[2]"

Senator Rick Scott continued, "The statistics are sobering: in 2022, over 1,200 young people aged 14 to 18 lost their lives to drug overdoses. That's the equivalent of losing an entire classroom of students each week.[3] Experts and law enforcement consistently emphasize that the best way to prevent our children from experimenting with deadly substances is education on the dangers they present. As leaders in education, I urge you to collaborate with advocacy organizations, many of which are based in your communities and provide these services at no-cost, that are ready and eager to provide life-saving information to your students. These organizations are often led by families who have lost loved ones to this crisis, and their stories could be the catalyst that saves a young person's life."

Read the full letter HERE or below.

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Last year, Senator Scott sent a similar letter highlighting the need to better educate students on the deadly fentanyl crisis facing the state and nation. Read more regarding Sen. Rick Scott's 2023 letter to Florida superintendents on educating kids about the dangers of Fentanyl HERE.

In May, Senator Scott joined his colleagues in introducing a resolution designating May 7, 2024, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day as he continues his fight to bring needed attention to the negative impacts of the rise of fentanyl poisoning in the United States. Read more about his resolution HERE.

In addition to these priorities, Senator Scott has sponsored the following bills and taken the following actions against the fentanyl crisis. Read about each HERE.

• Stopping Online Confusion for Investigative Agencies and Law-Enforcement by Maintaining Evidence Determined Interparty Arrangements (SOCIAL MEDIA) Act
• Continuing High-Quality Evaluations of Concerning and Known Persons of Interest Through National Training Updates (CHECKPOINT) Act
• Upholding the Law at the Border Act
• Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act
• Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act
• Opioid Response Action Data and Reforms (RADAR) Act
• Overcoming Prevalent Inadequacies in Overdose Information Data (OPIOIDS) Act

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