Sam Douglas/ Fourth Estate
Suzanne Youngkin speaks with Mason student athletes about substance abuse of fentanyl
BY SAM DOUGLAS, STAFF WRITER
Virginia first lady Suzanne Youngkin held a talk at Mason on Thursday, Oct. 17 to raise awareness about the risks of fentanyl. Student athletes and athletic staff were present as Youngkin, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet Kelly and Mason Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Marvin Lewis addressed the dangers of the fatal drug.
Fentanyl is an opioid used by doctors as an extreme pain reliever; however, the drug is also illegally sold on the street in the form of liquid and powder, according to the CDC.
Youngkin stressed the importance of staying away from fentanyl as part of her “It Only Takes One” campaign. The campaign launched in January and expanded recently in August with Youngkin traveling to schools, churches and recovery centers to raise awareness about fentanyl.
Sam Douglas/ Fourth Estate
“As a mother of four young adults, I can’t imagine the pain of losing a child to something that could have been prevented,” Youngkin said. “This crisis is personal to me because it affects every community across Virginia, from our cities to our rural areas. I believe we can prevent these tragedies through awareness, education and conversation.”
According to the first lady’s website, an average of five Virginians die each day due to fentanyl poisoning.
Also present at the event were Tom and Delaine Mazich, whose son Grey passed away due to an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2020 while at college. They shared their story with the student athletes in attendance, detailing how their son took a pill to help fall asleep unaware that it was laced with fentanyl. They urged the student athletes to use their role to help spread awareness of the dangerous drug.
Sam Douglas/ Fourth Estate
“You have the opportunity to impact so many people because they look up to you,” the Mazichs said to members of Mason’s women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer and rowing teams.
Fentanyl awareness and prevention efforts have been present throughout Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration. Besides the “It Only Takes One” campaign, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares also has a campaign focused on fentanyl called “One Pill Can Kill.”
In May 2023, Gov. Youngkin issued Executive Order 26 which focused on combating the rise of fentanyl. Gov. Youngkin also announced that Operation Free Virginia had seized 17,000 pounds of illegal drugs and 50 pounds of fentanyl during a 30-day operation in early 2024.
“Our administration is fully committed to addressing the fentanyl crisis through bipartisan collaboration…this is an issue that transcends politics, and together, we’re raising awareness, educating communities and working toward saving lives across Virginia and beyond,” first lady Youngkin said.
