SAN ANTONIO — An Adkins mother whose son died from fentanyl poisoning almost a year ago is now advocating for Texas lawmakers to pass a bill she believes could help save lives amid a growing drug crisis.
“He was really fun, he was super outgoing—the life of the party,” said Christina Villagrana.
Villagrana lost her 28-year-old son and best friend, Kyle Hinkel, to fentanyl poisoning on May 27, 2022.
She noted her son was on medication for epilepsy surrounding the time of his death. She acknowledged that California, where they moved from, Hinkel took part in recreational drugs and utilized fentanyl testing strips.
Villagrana stated she doesn’t believe her son was a drug addict.
“That was really, really, really hard because I called him and he didn’t answer. And I went over and I touched him and he was cold,” Villagrana said.
Overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans led to the passage of House Bill 362 on Tuesday. The Texas Senate will now review the legislation, which proposes to decriminalize fentanyl-testing strips.
According to the CDC, the strips serve as a low-cost method to prevent overdoses and reduce harm by identifying the presence of the synthetic opioid in various forms of drugs.
Dozens of states have legalized fentanyl-testing strips in recent years, including Tennessee and Alabama.
Villagrana hopes HB 362 becomes law so people of all ages, but especially young people, are equipped with a potentially lifesaving tool.
“I want it to pass because it’s definitely better than nothing. It’s just one more step to keep people safe,” Villagrana said.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar expressed support for the legalization of fentanyl-testing strips as a tool to combat the fentanyl crisis.
Salazar spoke with community members Wednesday night at the Arsenal Church in San Antonio, where he presented a localized version of the DEA’s “One Pill Can Kill” awareness campaign.
According to the CDC, over 71,000 Americans died from drug overdose deaths in 2021. It's estimated that more than 5,000 of those deaths were in Texas.
Salazar weighed both sides of the issue on fentanyl-testing strips but sees more good coming out of the passage of HB 362.
“I think that there may be that one school of thought that says you’re promoting drug use or you’re facilitating drug use. I don’t think that’s the case," Salazar said. "I think that people (who) use drugs are going to use drugs whether a product exists like this or not. What I see it as is the potential that we may be able to save some lives out there.”
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