SAN ANTONIO — MacArthur High School served as the site of a roundtable discussion Tuesday tackling the dangers of fentanyl, and how local and state leaders are addressing the opioid crisis.
Senator John Cornyn was joined by medical professionals, school leaders and mothers who lost their children to fentanyl. In 2022, it killed 181 people in Bexar County and 1,700 in total across the state.
“Fentanyl poisoning is the leading cause of death for individuals between the age of 18 and 45 years of age,” Cornyn said.
North East ISD became one of the first school districts in Bexar County to supply their campuses with the lifesaving drug naloxone, more commonly known as Narcan.
Nationwide, nearly 108,000 Americans died of overdoses over a 12-month period ending May 2022, a jump of nearly 300% from January 2019 to June 2022.
One of the bills Cornyn has been pushing is the Fentanyl Safe Testing and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, which would decriminalize fentanyl test strips.
A similar bill passed the Texas House but was stalled in a Senate committee.
“I think there’s a misconception that fentanyl test strips really facilitate the use of illegal drugs. What we’re learning, what we heard here today, it’s just the opposite," Cornyn said. "Actually, if people can test it and find out it does include fentanyl, (it can) save their life."
The Texas senator is also pushing the Halting the Epidemic of Addiction and Loss (HEAL) Act. One of the goals of the bill is to expand access to new opioid overdose reversal tools beyond naloxone while providing assistance to first responders to help save lives.
Christina Villagrana lost her 28-year-old son Kyle Hinkle to fentanyl poisoning in 2022. She said her son, who had just secured his EMT certification, always used fentanyl test strips before using certain drugs when they lived in California.
“I walked in and called his name and he didn’t move," Villagrana said. "It was just a gut punch."
Ever since his death, Villagrana has been pushing for the legalization of fentanyl test strips. She’s also worked with law enforcement to educate youth about the dangers of fentanyl.
“We need the community to know it can happen to your child too, you might not believe it but it can,” Villagrana said.
Fentanyl poisoning also claimed the life of Veronica Kaprosy’s 17-year-old daughter, Danica, last July. Kaprosy said Danica struggled with insomnia and food allergies and connected with someone online to get Percocet, but it ended up being fentanyl.
Kaprosy said she finds strength in talking with the community and advocating for change.
“To keep my daughter’s name alive. She didn’t want to die. I’m her voice. And I don’t want another parent to go through what I go through on a daily basis,” Kaprosy said.
On Saturday at 4 p.m. at Brooks City Base, the community is invited to take part in a fentanyl awareness walk hosted by Soles Walking for Souls. To learn more, go here.
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