Pushing Back the Darkness: Fentanyl

I mentioned the novel Madeira will support Maddy’s Garden of Light. With Spring in the air now, here’s an update on a dozen positive accomplishments over the past twelve months in the garden, and in the related effort to push back the darkness that is fake pharmaceuticals with illicit fentanyl:

·????????The summer of 2023 marks the fourth year for Maddy’s Garden of Light. The staff is busy getting the entire park ready for May opening

·????????Work on the new garden gates, which happen to be next to both Sasha’s and Maddy’s gardens, continues. Much is in place now, with final detailed work underway.

·????????Thanks to the generosity of so many, the fund for Maddy’s Garden of Light now exceeds $20,000. I want to see it continue to grow. Donations may be made online with a credit card. https://www.yampariverbotanicpark.org/donations/?(Be sure to add Maddy’s Garden of Light in the comments). The garden endowment is managed by the Yampa Valley Community Foundation and helps ensure the continuity of Maddy’s garden into the future. ?Yampa River Botanic Park Society is a 501(c)(3) organization and contributions are tax-deductible. Tax ID 88-0687841

·????????We spoke twice at all three area high schools to both parents and the students across the Yampa Valley, along with the Steamboat Police Department, and representatives of CU Anshutz Center, to share Madz's story, and provide fentanyl awareness

·????????Thanks to the support and leadership of Blue Rising, a very effective advocacy group based in Denver, we and all affected families were able to share our stories with the Colorado House and Senate, helping secure passage of Colorado House Bill HB-1326 one year ago this month, which added $40 million to the state’s efforts to treat and prevent overdoses, poisonings, and addiction this year. Those funds are allocated:

·????????$5 million for public education

·????????$19.7 million for naloxone, the overdose reversal drug which is the only thing that can save a life once an overdose or poisoning has begun

·????????$10 million for detox and crisis treatment centers in the state

·????????$7 million to investigate deaths caused by opioid poisonings

·????????$6 million for harm reduction and prevention programs

·????????Funding for a program to map overdose and poisoning

deaths, to locate and isolate contaminated drug supplies before more harm is

done

·????????Funding for medication-assisted treatment in jails,

helping those who are incarcerated deal with addiction problems

·????????Funding for the Colorado Attorney General to produce a national first – a 200-page report on social media and illicit drug activity. The report was released in March and is available here: https://coag.gov/press-releases/3-8-23/

·????????We worked together on a fentanyl safety checklist for universities to implement, and over the past 8 months, with Blue Rising’s leadership, the families met with every school President in the state of Colorado. All school administrators expressed appreciation for the awareness, and information and are beginning to take action to implement needed changes on campus

·????????We’ve managed to introduce the word “poisoning,” into the conversation. Not every death is an overdose. Victims who have no history of drug abuse are victims of poisoning; they were given a pill they thought was Oxycodone, Adderall, Xanax, or Percocet. But, it wasn’t. And the amount of fentanyl in it was deadly.

·????????Blue Rising is another organization going good work, delivering real results, and deserving of financial support. More: https://www.bluerisingtogether.com/fentanyl-poisoning

·????????If you are not familiar with how bad this issue of fake pharmaceuticals is, just search on “fentanyl (and add your state name). You’ll be very surprised.

·????????If you want more of a glimpse of how bad fentanyl is, and have not watched the 20-minute documentary Dead on Arrival, you may wish to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJgPmrLjkuo&t=17s&pp=ygUNZmVudGFueWwgZmlsbQ%3D%3D