On Wednesday March 12 Governor Josh Stein delivered his State of the State address.
Read the full transcript of Governor Stein’s address on the NC.gov website.
Category: Event
TOWN HALL MEETING ABOUT FENTANYL
Wilson County & Adjacent NC Counties
TOWN HALL MEETING ABOUT FENTANYL (open to the public)
Wilson County & Adjacent NC Counties
Saturday, February 1, 2025, 2:00-4:00 pm
| Date | Saturday, February 1, 2025, 2:00-4:00 pm |
| Location | Foundation YMCA of Wilson 233 Nash Street Wilson NC. 27893 |
Contacts
- Barb Walsh, Executive Director, 919-614-3830
barb@fentvic.org. website: www.fentvic.org
Fentanyl Victims Network of NC (fentvic.org), 501(c)(3) EIN 88-3921380 - Local Co-Host: Lisa Bennett, Mother of Mason Bennett, Forever 22. Valued member of fentvc.org. Public safety, education & justice advocate. 229-873-5648 lisawbennett@me.com
Purpose
- SAVE LIVES! Public Safety Education Prevention Tools + Naloxone Distribution & Training
- Listen-Learn-Interview devastated fentanyl victim families. It could happen to anyone!
- Spark public safety conversations about the dangers of illicit fentanyl, particularly counterfeit pressed pills (Adderall, Xanax, Percocet), and access to life-saving naloxone in schools and the community
- Connect NC Fentanyl Victim Families to one another for support and advocacy.
Town hall meeting to educate public on dangers of fentanyl
Event organizers are sounding the alarm on the fentanyl crisis that continues to claim lives. The Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina will hold a town hall meeting in Wilson from 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 1, at Foundation YMCA of Wilson at 233 Nash St.
The purpose of the event, organizers say, is to spark public safety conversations about the dangers of illicit fentanyl, particularly when it’s found in counterfeit pressed pills like Adderall, Xanax and Percocet.
Organizers will also be distributing naloxone, which goes by the brand name Narcan, and train those attending on how to administer the lifesaving antidote. Local families will also share their heart-wrenching stories of how their loved ones have died from fentanyl poisonings. The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
ADDRESSING THE ISSUE
Barb Walsh, founder of Fentanyl Victims Network, has been working with Wilson families who are reeling from the loss of their own children who have died as a result of unintentional fentanyl deaths. The hope, she said, is to bring awareness to a problem that is plaguing the country, the state and Wilson.
“This is a public safety problem we want to address,” Walsh said.
Walsh is holding several town halls throughout the state.
“I chose Wilson because there is a pocket of very active families,” Walsh said. “We have two death by distribution cases going on (in the court system).
Local elected officials, public health professionals, advocates, parents of fentanyl victims, first responders and representatives from the Wilson County Substance Prevention Coalition and the Wilson County district attorney’s office will be in attendance at the Feb. 1 town hall meeting. Local law enforcement members have also been invited, organizers said.
“I think it’s important for people to see these numbers and realize how many people are dying,” said Lisa Bennett, co-organizer of the event. Bennett lost her son, 22-year-old Mason Bennett, in February 2023. He died after taking what he believed was a Percocet, a prescription painkiller, but it was laced with fentanyl, she has said. Since her son’s death, Bennett has been working with Walsh and her nonprofit.
Walsh said 18,457 people in North Carolina have died as a result of fentanyl over a 10-year period.
From 2013 to October 2023, there have been 138 fentanyl deaths in Wilson County alone, according to state data Walsh has compiled.
SOUNDING THE ALARM
Walsh founded the Raleigh-based nonprofit after her daughter, Sophia Walsh, died from fentanyl poisoning in August 2021. Walsh’s daughter drank what she thought was a bottled water from someone’s refrigerator.
Unbeknownst to her, it contained diluted fentanyl. Sophia died, and no one called 911 until 10 hours later, Walsh said. No one was charged.
“We didn’t know what she died from until five months later,” Walsh said.
After her daughter’s death, Walsh channeled her grief into research, advocacy and justice for other victims. Walsh has worked across the state to bring awareness to the dangers of fentanyl and has worked with families to demand justice in their cases by utilizing state law and getting those responsible charged.
‘IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOUR CHILD’
Walsh said there’s a misconception about fentanyl deaths. She said not all deaths are the result of someone in active addiction. Some people are simply experimenting.
Seven out of 10 “street” pressed copycat pills contain lethal fentanyl additives, according to officials.
Fentanyl, which is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, is a synthetic opioid that can be lethal even in small doses.
“It could happen to your child,” Walsh said. “The pressed pills are the culprit.”
Organizers hope to educate families and encourage parents to talk with their children about the dangers that are out there.
“If we can stop just one family from having to go through this it will be worth it,” Bennett said.
Bennett said more lives will be saved if more people are armed with Narcan.
“They cannot save themselves,” Walsh said. “Someone in the community will have to save them.”
For more information about Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina visit www.fentvic.org.
AG Merrick Garland Delivers Remarks To Fentanyl Victims’ Families At 2024 DEA National Family Summit
Facing Fentanyl National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day August 21
August 21st marks National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day™, a solemn occasion dedicated to honoring the memory of those who have fallen victim to illicit fentanyl poisoning. It serves as a poignant reminder of the profound devastation inflicted upon countless families and friends affected by this perilous drug. This day stands as a unified effort among fentanyl awareness organizations, impacted families, and individuals sharing their lived experiences to collectively warn and inform our youth, the public, and the unsuspecting.
This nationwide initiative urges all Americans to unite in the cause. Federal, state, and local agencies are called to participate actively, contributing to the vital mission of saving lives through heightened prevention and awareness efforts. Hosting community events dedicated to National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day and disseminating resources on fentanyl and other hazardous substances can prove instrumental in safeguarding lives.
The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. Fentanyl represents the gravest drug threat our nation has ever faced, propagated by transnational criminals. Alarmingly, an American succumbs to a drug-related death every five minutes, with children under 14 bearing a disproportionate burden of fatalities from fentanyl poisoning. Exploiting social media platforms, distributors are making access to dangerous drugs alarmingly easy for our youth. Thus, comprehensive prevention education is imperative to stem the tide of this crisis.
It is incumbent upon us all to be well-informed about the perils of illicit fentanyl. By collectively spreading awareness about its dangers, we can shield families from the anguish of fentanyl-related tragedies. Let us join forces to educate, advocate, and protect our communities, fostering a culture of health, productivity, and drug-free living.
‘She’ll never say yes to the dress’ | Greensboro grandma warns against fentanyl dangers
A Greensboro grandmother is warning against the dangers of fentanyl in light of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.
Read the original article on the WFMY TV2 News website.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Pictures of a Greensboro lady who died from a fentanyl overdose are being seen from The Gate City to The Big Apple, due to efforts from her grandmother.
When traveling along Lawndale Dr. Greensboro drivers may notice the face of Ashley Whaby. The shot is only up for a couple of seconds, but that is everything drivers need to get the point.
“She’ll never say yes to the dress. Abby 16 she’ll never graduate high school. Christian left a little boy behind,” said Whaby’s grandmother, Debbie Peeden.
Forever 23, October marks three years since Whaby’s death. Aside from memories, pictures are all that’s left. Wednesday those images are being seen all across the east coast.
“Today in Time Square in New York City Facing Fentanyl is doing a huge event. They’re taking over Time Square. They’ll be pictures and billboards of all the victims across the country who have died from fentanyl poisoning,” Peeden continued, “I’m not going to have her death be in vain, I loved her and raised her like a daughter. She called me Nana, Nana Banana.”
National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day warns people of the drug’s dangers.
“She thought she was getting cocaine, but when we got the toxicology report she had enough fentanyl in her system to kill eight people. She didn’t stand a chance,” said Peeden.
Since Ashley’s death, her grandmother’s mission has changed. She fights to make sure young people have the chance Whaby didn’t.
“Apps like Snapchat make it so simple for a child to go online and get what they think is an adderall or a xanax or a percocet really what they’re going to get is a fentanyl pill that can kill them,” Peeden warned.
Peeden’s advises parents to talk to their kids and know what they are doing online.
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking that it can’t happen to your child because it can, and it does,” exclaimed Peeden.
Barb Walsh. Say Fentanyl Out Loud Without Shame. Day of Recovery. Lexington, NC on 8/10/2024
Barb Walsh Executive Director of fentvic.org urges Davidson County School Board to install naloxone in ALL schools to save student lives from fentanyl. Race Against Drugs Day of Recovery event in Lexington, North Carolina on August 10, 2024.
PHOTOS: Sen. Thom Tillis leads a roundtable discussion in Wilmington on fentanyl epidemic
The Wilmington Star News published a gallery of photos Senator Thom Tills’ roundtable discussion on the fentanyl epidemic. Read the article and view the pictures on the Wilmington Star News website.
‘We’re losing ground,’ says Tillis at opioid roundtable in Wilmington
North Carolina ranks number 6 in total drug overdose deaths, with New Hanover County being three times the national average.
U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, R-NC, led a roundtable discussion with local elected officials and law enforcement in Wilmington Wednesday on the opioid crisis.
“Nearly a hundred thousand lives are lost every year to opioid, first among them fentanyl,” said Tillis. “We’ve got to figure out how to make headway. We’re losing ground.”
According to a 2020 report from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the majority of the fentanyl that crosses the southern border into the United States originates from China. The report highlights that China remains the primary source of fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, and fentanyl precursors which are often smuggled through various routes before reaching the U.S.
Continue reading “‘We’re losing ground,’ says Tillis at opioid roundtable in Wilmington”Fentanyl victims group pushing for Naloxone in all school
Read the original article and watch the video on the Queen City News website.
STATESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — “I’m doing this because my 24-year-old daughter, Sophia, was killed by fentanyl on August 16th. And I didn’t even know how to spell fentanyl,” said Barb Walsh, the executive director of the Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina.
She’s been a voice for families suffering the loss of a loved one by fentanyl poisoning.
“It’s just a network of damaged families who are getting together and finding their power and their passion to heal one another, but also to stop that not from killing someone else,” Walsh said.
The network includes counties like Mecklenburg, Rowan, Iredell, and Catawba. Pictures of those who lost their lives to the poisoning lined the walls at the Bristol Road community center.
Many of their families are doing their best to keep their memories alive.
“Fentanyl took my husband on November 2023, And it has changed our whole daily routine. He was in my house every single day walking around and now he’s not,” said Stephanie Triplett. She started “Embers for Ashes” in response to the death of her husband.
“In 2022, my son T.J. passed away of fentanyl poisoning. He had 18 nanograms of fentanyl in his body, which is enough to kill nine people. He had taken what he thought was oxycodone, but it was a pill that had fentanyl. And he’s been gone since 2022,” said Stephanie Duck. She started “TJ’s Story Lives On”
Through tears, families discussed their losses — but also laid out an action plan to save other victims from death – putting naloxone in every school.
“We just don’t know where a young person might encounter fentanyl. And so the safest thing is to have an antidote within the school, just like an ied, just like an EpiPen, just like a fire extinguisher. It’s not expensive. So we’re advocating for doses per school, not just with school resource officers, but as an emergency first aid kit,” Walsh said.