MORNING. COLLEAGUES. WHEN THEY
GET HERE. AND GUESTS. WELCOME TO
THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON FENTANYL,
OPIOID ADDICTION AND OVERDOSE
PREVENTION. MY NAME IS MATT
HANEY. I SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. AND THIS IS THE
THIRD, HEARING WE'VE HAD OF THIS
SELECT COMMITTEE. THE FIRST
HEARING WAS AN OVERVIEW OF THE
LARGER CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE
WITH OPIOID ADDICTION AND
OVERDOSE. AND WE FOCUSED ON
PREVENTION AND EDUCATION,
TREATMENT AND ENFORCEMENT. AND
THEN WE HAD A HEARING, A COUPLE
OF MONTHS BACK THAT FOCUSED
SPECIFICALLY ON ACCESS TO
TREATMENT. PARTICULARLY
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT IN
ALL OF THOSE HEARINGS, WE DID
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS
THE PARTICULAR CHALLENGE THAT WE
FACE AROUND, OPIOID ADDICTION
AND OVERDOSE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME
UP IN ALL OF THOSE HEARINGS WAS
A REAL NEED TO HAVE A MORE
FOCUSED CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS
EPIDEMIC AND HOW IT IS
SPECIFICALLY IMPACTING CHILDREN,
TEENS AND ADOLESCENTS AND WHAT
WE CAN BE DOING HERE AS THE
LEGISLATURE AND AS A STATE TO
CONFRONT THIS EPIDEMIC, TO HELP
TO PREVENT ADDICTION, PREVENT
OVERDOSE, EDUCATE CHILDREN, AND
MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT ALL OF
OUR YOUTH, THE STARK REALITY IS
THAT ACCIDENTAL FENTANYL DEATHS
INCREASED BY. 1,652% BETWEEN
2016 AND 2022, OVER 11,000
DEATHS IN CALIFORNIA THIS PAST
YEAR WERE ATTRIBUTED TO
OVERDOSE, LARGELY CONNECTED TO
OPIOIDS AND FENTANYL THAT IS IN
OVER DOUBLING OF THE NUMBER OF
OVERDOSES IN JUST FIVE YEARS, WE
ALSO KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN
SIMILAR INCREASES ON BOTH DEATHS
AND ADDICTION AMONG YOUNG
PEOPLE. ACCORDING TO DATA FROM
THE CDC, THE EQUIVALENT OF A
HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM
CLASSROOM'S WORTH OF STUDENTS AN
AVERAGE OF 22 ADOLESCENTS DIED
OF DRUG OVERDOSES IN THE UNITED
STATES EVERY WEEK IN 2022. OF
COURSE, HERE IN THE LEGISLATURE,
WE ARE WORKING TO CONFRONT THIS
EPIDEMIC. THERE HAVE BEEN, BILLS
THAT HAVE PASSED THAT HAVE
FOCUSED ON ENFORCEMENT,
INCREASING ACCOUNTABILITY,
FOCUSING ON HOW WE GET THESE
DRUGS OFF OF THE STREETS AND
HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE WHO
ARE SELLING THEM. WE'VE ALSO
FOCUSED ON MEDICATION ASSISTED
TREATMENT, INCLUDING BILLS THAT
WILL CHANGE HOW WE PROVIDE
ACCESS TO BUPRENORPHINE, TO
METHADONE, AND TO OTHER CRITICAL
INTERVENTIONS. WE'VE ALSO
FOCUSED ON, ACCESS TO NALOXONE
AND MAKING SURE THAT NALOXONE IS
EVERYWHERE, THAT IT'S NEEDED,
BRINGING IT INTO SCHOOLS,
BRINGING IT INTO OTHER PLACES
WHERE IT CAN HELP TO SAVE LIVES.
BUT WE NEED TO FOCUS
SPECIFICALLY ALSO ON THE WAYS IN
WHICH WE CAN PREVENT, ADDICTION
AND OVERDOSE AMONG OUR CHILDREN,
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA, THE
LACK OF ADEQUATE EDUCATION TO
YOUTH ABOUT THE DANGERS OF
OPIOIDS AND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED
WITH ANY DRUG USE WHEN IT COMES
TO THE POSSIBILITY OF POISONING
AND THE UNIQUE BARRIERS THAT
YOUNG PEOPLE CAN FACE WHEN
RECEIVING ADDICTION TREATMENT,
NEED MUCH MORE ROBUST AND
COMPREHENSIVE ACTION. OUR YOUTH
ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO
THE INFLUENCE READY
ACCESSIBILITY AND GAMIFICATION
OF PURCHASING PURCHASING DRUGS
THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. FOR
EXAMPLE, SNAPCHAT IS ONE OF THE
MOST READILY USED APPS TO GET
PILLS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES. ONE
STUDY SHOWED THAT BY 2030, 90%
OF THE FENTANYL OVERDOSE
CASUALTIES IN CALIFORNIA ARE
PREDICTED TO BE DIRECTLY LINKED
TO SUBSTANCES THAT WERE OBTAINED
ON SNAPCHAT, WE ALSO KNOW THAT
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PREYING
ON YOUNG PEOPLE AND TARGETING
THEM, TRICKING THEM,
DELIBERATELY GOING AFTER
CHILDREN, IN THE MOST SHAMEFUL,
DANGEROUS WAYS WHEN IT COMES TO
DRUGS, WE HAVE TO EDUCATE OUR
YOUTH ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRUGS
AND PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT
THEY NEED AND THEIR FAMILIES
NEED SO THAT THEY CAN PROTECT
THEMSELVES. WE HAVE TO CREATE A
CULTURALLY COMPETENT AND
INTERACTIVE CURRICULUM SO THAT
STUDENTS CAN BETTER RETAIN,
UNDERSTAND AND UTILIZE THE
INFORMATION WE ARE PROVIDING
THEM. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE LONG BUREAUCRATIC BARRIERS
AND STIGMA WHEN IT COMES TO
YOUTH ENROLLING IN ADDICTION
TREATMENT ARE ADDRESSED, THE
STIGMA ALONE CAN OFTEN PREVENT
MANY PARENTS AND YOUTH FROM
SEEKING HELP WHEN THEY NEED IT,
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
MEDICATIONS THAT CAN BE USED TO
TREAT ADDICTION ARE AVAILABLE
EFFECTIVELY TO CHILDREN AND THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE PREYING ON
CHILDREN ONLINE. IN PARTICULAR,
ARE CONFRONTED, HELD ACCOUNTABLE
AND STOPPED FROM DOING THAT. WE
HAVE A CRISIS ON OUR HANDS, IT
IS A CRISIS THAT AFFECTS EVERY
SINGLE COUNTY AND CITY IN OUR
STATE. IT IS NOT A POLITICAL
ISSUE. IT IS NOT ONE THAT
AFFECTS ONLY CERTAIN AREAS NOT
RURAL, NOT SUBURBAN, NOT URBAN.
IT'S NOT A SAN FRANCISCO
PROBLEM. IT IS A PROBLEM THAT IS
AFFECTING OUR ENTIRE STATE. AND
TRAGICALLY AND SADLY, OUR
CHILDREN ARE BEING IMPACTED AS
WELL. IN SOME CASES
DISPROPORTIONATELY. WE ARE GOING
TO EXPLORE ALL OF THESE ISSUES
TODAY, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
EXPERTS AS WELL AS, INDIVIDUALS
WHO HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED,
WITH AND HAVE LOST, LOVED ONES
TO THIS EPIDEMIC. AND WE THANK
THEM FOR BEING HERE. AND WE
THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR THEIR
LEADERSHIP AND FOR HAVING THE
COURAGE TO STAND UP AND HELP US
IN THIS FIGHT TO SAVE LIVES, A
FEW HOUSEKEEPING, HOUSEKEEPING
THINGS. FIRST, WE'LL HAVE FOUR
PANELS TODAY. WITNESSES OF EACH
PANEL WILL COME UP TOGETHER AND
PROVIDE THEIR TESTIMONY. OUR
LAST PANEL WILL FEATURE VIRTUAL
TESTIMONY AFTER EACH WITNESS HAS
TESTIFIED. THE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE MAY ASK THAT PANEL
QUESTIONS OR TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY REMARKS.
WE ARE EXPECTING FIVE OR SO OF
OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE, AND
THIS IS A BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE.
AT THE END OF THE HEARING, THERE
WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS
IN THE HEARING ROOM. A PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL BE LIMITED TO 30S
PER PERSON. WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING
PUBLIC COMMENT OVER THE PHONE
TODAY, BUT YOU CAN SUBMIT
WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE
COMMITTEE AT ASSEMBLY MEMBER DOT
HANEY AT ASSEMBLY DOT CA.GOV.
THIS EMAIL IS ALSO ON OUR
WEBSITE, WITH THAT, I WANT TO
INTRODUCE THE FIRST PANEL,
WHICH, BECAUSE OF HIS LEADERSHIP
AND HIS ROLE AND HIS,
PARTNERSHIP IN CONFRONTING THIS
OPIOID CRISIS IN CALIFORNIA
SCHOOLS, WE HAVE, CALIFORNIA
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION TONY THURMOND, WHO
HAS A PANEL TO HIMSELF, TO, TO
HELP TO DISCUSS WITH US WHAT WE
ARE DOING IN OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH
WE KNOW ARE SUCH A CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR RESPONSE
AND PREVENTION AND EDUCATION.
AND, WE REALLY THANK YOU, MR.
SUPERINTENDENT, FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP. AND WE WELCOME YOU.
AND YOU CAN BEGIN WHEN YOU LIKE.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. MR.
CHAIR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OF
THIS IMPORTANT COMMITTEE, FOR
THAT POWERFUL OPENING STATEMENT
THAT REALLY, I BELIEVE, CHARTS
THE COURSE OF WHAT WE NEED TO
DO. THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF FOR
ALL THE MATERIALS AND
PREPARATION, AS YOU LAID OUT IN
YOUR OPENING STATEMENT, WE ALL
HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS
THESE CHALLENGES, CERTAINLY FROM
THE EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, TO
EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THEM TO
BE SAFE FUR AND MAKE GOOD
CHOICES IN PREVENTION, THIS
COUNTRY HAS TO HAVE A SERIOUS
CONVERSATION ABOUT SUBSTANCE
ABUSE PREVENTION FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE. AND ADULTS WITHOUT
STIGMA AND, AND MENTAL HEALTH.
AND WE CONTINUE OUR EFFORT TO
RECRUIT THOSE WHO WOULD BE
MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS IN OUR
SCHOOLS. WE OFFER A $20,000
SCHOLARSHIP FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS
TO MAKE A TWO YEAR COMMITMENT.
AT LEAST. AND, I WOULD SAY TO
THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE HEARING
TODAY THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE THAT
SCHOLARSHIP IF THEY REACH OUT TO
US AT TEACH AND CA AT KDCA GOV.
WE USE THAT FOR RECRUITING
TEACHERS AND FOR MENTAL HEALTH
CLINICIANS, AND OF COURSE LAW
ENFORCEMENT HAS A ROLE, ABOUT
HOW, THESE DANGEROUS DRUGS ENTER
OUR COMMUNITIES, ENTER OUR
SCHOOLS, AND OF COURSE, THE ROLE
OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS YOU HAVE,
VERY CLEARLY ARTICULATED AS I
START, I WANT TO GIVE
APPRECIATION TO, PARENTS WHO'VE
LOST A LOVED ONE, WHO HAVE TO
ALL PARENTS WHO'VE LOST A LOVED
ONE TO THE OPIOID CRISIS. AND IN
PARTICULAR TO PARENTS WHO HAVE
SHARED THEIR STORY IN A WAY TO
HELP OTHERS. I KNOW THAT, AMY
NEVILLE FROM THE ALEXANDER
NEVILLE FOUNDATION IS, IS
SCHEDULED TO PROVIDE REMARKS AND
LARA DIDIER, FROM SONG FOR
CHARLIE, WHO WORKED WITH US ON A
NUMBER OF WAYS TO MAKE SURE
SCHOOLS GET INFORMATION AND
TOOLKITS. I'M GRATEFUL, I'M
GRATEFUL TO PARENTS AND
ADVOCATES AND HEALTH POLICY
PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE HERE
TODAY, OUR WORK TO ADDRESS THE
FENTANYL CRISIS HAS BEEN POWERED
BY THE MOST IMPACTED, ESPECIALLY
THOSE PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST
CHILDREN. I KNOW THAT THESE
STORIES ARE VERY PAINFUL TO
SHARE, AND I THANK YOU FOR
SHARING THEM SO THAT WE CAN WORK
TOWARDS REAL CHANGE. IT'S OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO HEAR YOU AND
TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF THIS
MOMENT SO THAT WE PROTECT OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE. THE FENTANYL AND
OPIOID EPIDEMIC SHOULD BE TOP OF
MIND FOR EVERY PARENT, TEACHER,
HEALTH EDUCATOR, AND COUNSELOR
RIGHT NOW IN 2012, CALIFORNIA
SUFFERED 82 DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO
FENTANYL OVERDOSES IN 2023, THAT
NUMBER SKYROCKETED TO MORE THAN
6000. DEATHS FROM FENTANYL
ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN 80% OF
ALL DRUG RELATED DEATHS AMONG
CALIFORNIA'S YOUTH IN 2022. IN
OUR SCHOOLS, WE CAN ADDRESS THIS
CRISIS AND SAVE OUR STUDENTS
LIVES BY PROVIDING DRUG
AWARENESS EDUCATION TO OUR
STUDENTS AND PROVIDING THE LIFE
SAVING DRUG NALOXONE AND
TRAINING ON ITS USE FOR SCHOOL
STAFF. I'M PROUD TO HAVE
SPONSORED SB TEN THAT THE
PREVENTING AND TREATING STUDENT
OPIOID OVERDOSE, WHICH EXPANDED
STATEWIDE PREVENTION AND
EDUCATION EFFORTS IN OUR SCHOOLS
TO PREVENT FENTANYL RELATED
OVERDOSES AMONG OUR YOUTH.
THROUGH THIS STATEWIDE EFFORT,
CDE HAS DEVELOPED SUBSTANTIAL
ONLINE RESOURCES TO ASSIST
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS,
COUNTY OFFICES, AND CHARTER
SCHOOLS AS THEY DESIGN AND
IMPLEMENT LOCAL FENTANYL
EDUCATION EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR
YOUTH. I WOULD NOTE AB 889,
CODIFIED FENTANYL EDUCATION IN
THE CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CODE
MANDATING THAT ALL LEAS
IMPLEMENT PARENT EDUCATION ABOUT
THE DANGER OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS
SUCH AS FENTANYL. THIS BILL WAS
INSPIRED BY LARA AND CHARLES
DIDIER, WHO TRAGICALLY LOST
THEIR 17 YEAR OLD SON ZACHARY,
TO A FENTANYL OVERDOSE. I WANT
TO SHARE MY HEARTFELT
APPRECIATION AGAIN TO ZACHARY'S
MOTHER, LAURA, WHO HAS WORKED
DIRECTLY WITH OUR TEAM AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SONG
FOR CHARLIE AS WE HAVE DEVELOPED
WEBINARS AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR
THE FIELD AT THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WE HAVE
ALSO WORKED WITH THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO
ISSUE A STANDING ORDER FOR
NALOXONE IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO THAT
SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HAVE ACCESS TO
THIS IMPORTANT LIFE SAVING
MEASURE. THIS CRISIS IS THE
FASTEST GROWING CAUSE OF DEATH
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. I'M SORRY. ACROSS
CALIFORNIA, WE KNOW THAT THERE
ARE ELEMENTS OF THIS CRISIS THAT
REQUIRE US TO ENSURE THAT BOTH
HEALTH EDUCATION AND LIFE SAVING
MEDICATION ARE PART OF THE
SOLUTION. ALL TOO OFTEN, YOUNG
PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY ARE
INGESTING A PILL THAT IS MADE
WITH FENTANYL UNTIL IT IS TOO
LATE. DRUG AWARENESS EDUCATION
FOR BOTH OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR
FAMILIES IS CRITICAL. IN ORDER
TO SAVE OUR STUDENTS LIVES.
HEALTH EDUCATION IS A POWERFUL
TOOL WE CAN USE TO COMBAT THIS
CRISIS. WE HAVE COMPREHENSIVE,
THEORY DRIVEN, EVIDENCE BASED
RESEARCH TO EDUCATE, INFORM AND
EMPOWER OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES
TO MAKE WELL-INFORMED DECISIONS
THAT LEAD TO POSITIVE PRACTICES.
SB 114, WHICH JUST WENT INTO
CODE, SOLIDIFIES SCHOOLS ACCESS
TO NALOXONE. THE BILL REQUIRES
COUNTY OFFICES OF EDUCATION TO
STOCK AT LEAST TWO CANISTERS OF
NALOXONE AT EVERY MIDDLE HIGH
SCHOOL AND CONTINUATION SCHOOL.
SB 367 WAS PASSED TO REQUIRE ALL
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND CSU
CAMPUS HEALTH CENTERS TO HAVE
APPROVED OPIOID OVERDOSE
REVERSAL MEDICATION AVAILABLE.
RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANT NEED
THAT EXISTS ON OUR COLLEGE
CAMPUSES. AS STATE
SUPERINTENDENT, I COMMEND OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO HAVE BEEN
ADAPTING OUR STATEWIDE RESOURCES
INTO TOOL KITS, WHO HAVE BEEN
TAKING PART IN THE STANDING
ORDER OF FREE NALOXONE FOR
SCHOOLS AND WHO HAVE BEEN
TRAINING STAFF AND EDUCATING
PARENTS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE
THAT CARING ADULTS IN OUR
STUDENTS LIVES ARE EQUIPPED WITH
THE KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES THAT
THEY NEED TO PROTECT OUR KIDS. I
ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO BE PROACTIVE IN
UTILIZING HEALTH CLASSES, USING
PEER TO PEER COUNSELING, AND
STRENGTHENING SCHOOL BASED
HEALTH CENTERS TO PREVENTIVELY
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. IN CLOSING,
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
PARTICIPATING. PARTICIPATING
TODAY, YOUR INVOLVEMENT, YOUR
VALUABLE EXPERTISE, AND YOUR
INSIGHTS WILL HELP SAVE LIVES
AND FURTHER DRUG AWARENESS AND
PREVENTION EFFORTS. THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
TESTIMONY, AND I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE. GREAT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, MR. SUPERINTENDENT. I'LL
KICK IT OFF AND MAYBE I WANT TO
WELCOME MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL,
FOR BEING HERE. SO A FEW THINGS
ABOUT THE EDUCATION THAT'S BEING
PROVIDED, IS THERE IS THERE A
PROCESS BY WHICH DATA IS BEING
COLLECTED OR SURVEYS DONE TO
BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT DISTRICTS
ARE, ARE DOING IN PRACTICE? I
KNOW YOU ALL ARE PROVIDING, YOU
KNOW, SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES THAT
THAT HELP DISTRICTS. AND NOW
IT'S A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY
IMPLEMENT IT AT SOME LEVEL, DO
WE KNOW THAT IT'S HAPPENING? AND
WHAT IS IT? YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY
IT'S COMING BACK TO YOU IN, IN,
IN THEIR, IN THEIR PLANS. AND SO
HOW, HOW HOW IS THAT BEING
COLLECTED AND HOW ARE YOU USING
THAT DATA AND THEN CONNECTED TO
THAT. WHAT WHAT'S WHAT'S YOUR
SENSE OF SORT OF WHEN MANY
DISTRICTS AND, AND IS THE
CURRICULUM THAT YOU HAVE, SORT
OF GEARED TOWARDS A PARTICULAR
LEVELS OR IS IT AND IS IT
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SEEING
HAPPEN OR SHOULD HAPPEN, YOU
KNOW, AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
LEVEL, AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
LEVEL AND AT THE HIGH SCHOOL
LEVEL AND SORT OF HOW ARE WE
LOOKING AT WHEN THIS IS
HAPPENING AND WHEN, WHEN THE
RIGHT TIME FOR, OR RIGHT TIMES
FOR THIS SORT OF EDUCATION AND
PREVENTION TO BE DONE AND
PARTICULARLY IN THE CLASSROOM?
AND THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AS
YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATION THAT
HAS BEEN PASSED REQUIRES ALL
SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PUT INTO
THEIR SCHOOL SAFETY PLANS
MEASURES FOR ADDRESSING THE
OPIOID CRISIS AND FOR TRAINING
STAFF AND STAFF HAVE TO BE
TRAINED ON HOW TO ADMINISTER
NARCAN, AND SO THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION IS ABLE TO COLLECT
THAT DATA AS EACH DISTRICT DOES
TURN IN A SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN.
AND WE CAN PROVIDE HIGHLIGHTS AT
ANY TIME ABOUT ANY DISTRICT,
THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS MIGHT
BE INTERESTED IN, IN TERMS OF
THE EDUCATION, THE EMPHASIS DOES
TEND TO BE, FOCUSED MORE IN HIGH
SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT WE
HAVE MANY DISTRICTS THAT BEGIN
EDUCATION ABOUT, ABOUT DRUG USE
IN EARLY CLASSES AND, IN OUR
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW,
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SOMETIMES THINK,
WELL, WE DON'T NEED THIS IN OUR
SCHOOL. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY,
WE DON'T NEED NARCAN IN OUR
SCHOOL. AND I TELL THEM, WE HAVE
TO HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION
ABOUT DRUG USE, THAT IT IS
EVERYWHERE. IT IS NOT UNIQUE TO
ANY ONE ZIP CODE, ANY ONE GROUP
OF PEOPLE. AND MANY TIMES, EVEN
IN MORE AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES,
THERE'S MORE MONEY, THERE'S MORE
ACCESS TO GET ACCESS TO DRUGS.
AND SO, WE ADVOCATE THAT SCHOOL
DISTRICTS START EDUCATION AS
EARLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT THERE ARE
CERTAINLY THESE COMPONENTS THAT
ARE, PLACING SIGNIFICANT EFFORT
ON HOW TO HELP MIDDLE SCHOOL AND
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NAVIGATE
ALL THAT IS COMING AT THEM. ARE
THERE ARE THERE AREAS WHERE YOU
THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED GREATER
FOCUS OR SOME GAPS THAT THAT
EXIST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE
NOW, YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY, THE
STATE, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS
HAS PASSED A NUMBER OF LAWS THAT
HAVE, REALLY MADE PREVENTION
EDUCATION, AROUND THIS EPIDEMIC
MUCH MORE CENTRAL AND
COMPREHENSIVE. IN TERMS OF WHAT
YOU'VE SEEN SO FAR AND WHAT
YOU'RE HEARING AS YOU'RE
TRAVELING AND TALKING TO
DISTRICTS, EITHER ANECDOTALLY OR
OR IN SOME OF THE DATA AND
SURVEYING AND RESOURCES THAT YOU
HAVE, IS THERE AREAS WHERE YOU
WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE
LEGISLATURE, WE REALLY NEED TO
HAVE A CONTINUED FOCUS. AND
THERE'S STILL NEED. THANK YOU
FOR THE QUESTION. I THINK YOU
OUTLINED THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE
ACCESS THAT STUDENTS GET THROUGH
SOCIAL MEDIA BEING TARGETED BY
SOCIAL MEDIA. I THINK WE ALWAYS
NEED MORE, RESOURCES AROUND,
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AND
PREVENTION. WE HAVE TO HAVE
HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUNG
PEOPLE AND ADULTS WHO, USE DRUGS
TO ADDRESS WHAT ARE REALLY
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, YOU KNOW,
ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND WE KNOW
THAT ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION HAVE
GROWN DRAMATICALLY, SINCE THE
PANDEMIC. A MATTER OF FACT,
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, RESEARCH
SHOWS THAT WE'VE HAD ONLY A
THIRD OF THE MENTAL HEALTH
CLINICIANS THAT WE HAVE NEEDED
TO ADDRESS ANXIETY AND
DEPRESSION PRIOR TO THE
PANDEMIC. AND SO WE HAVE TO GROW
THE WORKFORCE. WE HAVE TO HAVE
PEER EDUCATORS. WE HAVE TO HAVE
THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE,
WHO CAN WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
AND ADULTS, WE HAVE TO HAVE
HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHY
PEOPLE USE DRUGS AND HOW WE
SUPPORT THEM, AND PREVENTION. WE
CAN NEVER DO ENOUGH PREVENTION.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO, ALWAYS
DOUBLE DOWN OUR EFFORTS AROUND
PREVENTION. OUR SCHOOLS HAVE
GREAT PROGRAMS THAT, TALK ABOUT
PREVENTION AND EDUCATION, BUT
THEY OFTEN ARE STRUGGLING TO
FUND THOSE PROGRAMS AND
COMPETING WITH OTHER THINGS AS
THEY DEAL WITH DECLINING
ENROLLMENT. THEY'RE LOSING
REVENUE AND THEY'RE LOSING THEIR
ABILITY TO PAY FOR THESE
PROGRAMS. WE HAVE TO HAVE DEEPER
PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE HEALTH
CARE COMMUNITY, WITH FOUNDATIONS
AND OTHERS WHO CAN HELP TO MAKE
SURE WE HAVE ROBUST PREVENTION
PROGRAMS, AND WE JUST HAVE TO
HAVE HONEST CONVERSATIONS WITH
OUR KIDS. THEY HAVE TO KNOW
THAT, EVEN IN SOCIAL SETTINGS,
SOMEONE MIGHT SAY, DON'T WORRY
ABOUT IT, OR EVERYBODY'S DOING
IT. WE HAVE TO HAVE HONEST
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM THAT
EVERY CHOICE THAT THEY MAKE
COULD BE, A THREAT TO THEIR LIFE
AND HELP THEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE
GOOD CHOICES WHEN THEY ARE, WHEN
THEY ARE OPPRESSED IN THOSE
SITUATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT, COLLEAGUES. YEAH. I'M
WALTER, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD
TO SEE YOU. I APOLOGIZE FOR
COMING IN PARTWAY THROUGH YOUR
TESTIMONY. IT'S GOOD. I'LL GIVE
YOU A NOTE THAT YOU CAN TAKE
BACK TO SCHOOL. OKAY. THANK YOU,
I DID HAVE KIND OF MORE A
STATEMENT QUESTION THING, BACK
WHEN I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL
YEARS AGO, AS THE OPIOID CRISIS,
WE STARTED HEARING ABOUT THE
OPIOID CRISIS COMING FROM THE
EAST COAST, MOVING TO THE WEST.
AND AS YOU CORRECTLY SAID, A LOT
OF TIMES, A BIG PART OF THE
PROBLEMS ARE IN THE MORE
AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES BACK, I
REMEMBER IN THE EARLY 2000S, WE
WOULD LOOK AT THE AREAS WHERE
PEOPLE COULD BUY AN OPIOID PILL
FOR 50 BUCKS, YOU KNOW, AND IT
STARTED THIS CRISIS. AND THEN
FOLKS MOVED TO HEROIN. AND THEN
THERE WERE A LOT OF, ISSUES
BEHIND THE ADDICTION. AND I GOT
INVOLVED IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY
OPIOID, TASK FORCE AT THE TIME
THAT THEY WERE STARTING. BUT
WHAT WE LEARNED IS AND I WAS
SHOCKED AS A PARENT THAT I
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
YOU KNOW, THAT IF YOU LOOK FOR
THINGS IN YOUR CHILD'S ROOM,
LIKE THE FOIL THAT THEY WERE
USING TO MELT THE SAFETY RELEASE
TIME RELEASE COATING ON THE
TABLETS TO INHALE IT, THINGS
THAT PARENTS DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY
WOULD HAVE KNOWN TO PREVENT
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. NOW, WITH
FENTANYL, THESE PILLS CAN BE
LACED. THEY CAN BE IN THERE.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW SOMETHING
THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT WAS
DEVASTATING AND DEBILITATING
THEN, IS EVEN TEN TIMES WORSE
NOW. HOW HOW DO THE SCHOOLS GET
INFORMATION OUT TO THE PARENTS?
BECAUSE IT STARTED REALLY MY
INTEREST IN THIS WHOLE AREA WHEN
I LEARNED OF SOME OF THESE
THINGS THAT COULD BE PREVENTED
IF WE ONLY KNEW ENOUGH. AND, YOU
KNOW, PARENTS, AS PART OF THAT
COULD BE HELPFUL. AND I THINK
THE SOCIAL MEDIA PART THAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COULD BE
HELPFUL, A FEW YEARS AGO, I RAN
THE HOPE BACK TWICE. THE HEROIN
AND OPIOID PUBLIC EDUCATION ACT,
WHICH DIED IN APPROPRIATIONS
UNFORTUNATELY, BOTH TIMES,
BECAUSE IT DOES COST MONEY TO
PUT OUT INFORMATION AND
EDUCATION, TRYING TO REACH
PARENTS, TRYING TO REACH THE
GENERAL PUBLIC, ALMOST LIKE THEY
DID WITH THE MILK CARTONS. IT
WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR FACE
ALL THE TIME. IT'S ALMOST LIKE
WE HAVE TO BE TO THAT ASPECT.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW THE
SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO GET
INFORMATION OUT TO PARENTS AS
WELL. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL
YOUR WORK AND THE HEALTH CARE
SPACE. AND ON THESE ISSUES. AS
YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATING WITH
FAMILIES ABOUT SCHOOL ISSUES IS
HARD ENOUGH AS IT IS. YOU KNOW,
IN THE OLD DAYS YOU COULD PUT A
NOTE IN A BACKPACK AND, YOU KNOW,
REACH. BUT SOMETIMES STUDENTS
NEVER EVEN TOOK THAT NOTE OUT OF
THEIR BACKPACK, YOU KNOW, THERE
IT IS HEARTBREAKING HOW MANY
TIMES I'VE HEARD A PARENT SAY, I
JUST DIDN'T KNOW THAT MY CHILD
WAS STRUGGLING. I DIDN'T KNOW
THAT MY CHILD WAS HAVING A
CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE EITHER
ONLINE OR THROUGH ANOTHER
CONNECTION TO GET TO GET ACCESS
TO DRUGS, IT IS NO FAULT OF THE
FAMILIES OR PARENTS, BUT THERE
ARE SO MANY. THAT THE NOISE FROM
ALL OF THE THINGS REACHING YOUNG
PEOPLE TODAY IS AT A DECIBEL
LEVEL THAT IS SO MUCH HIGHER
THAN ANYTHING THAT WE'VE
EXPERIENCED, AND WE HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT WAYS TO REACH
STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. I
THINK THAT PEER EDUCATORS ARE
VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE, AND WE HAVE TO HIRE OUR
SCHOOLS, HAVE TO HIRE PARENT
EDUCATORS WHO KNOW HOW TO REACH
PARENTS, WHO KNOW HOW TO
ORGANIZE PROGRAMS, WHERE PARENTS
WILL FIND OUT ABOUT, HOW TO BE
SAFE WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND
ALSO ABOUT IMPORTANT RESOURCES
THAT THE SCHOOL HAS ACCESS TO.
OUR SCHOOLS HAVE $4 BILLION,
THANKS TO THE LEGISLATURE FOR
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS RESOURCES, AND
THESE ARE THINGS THAT MEANS THAT
SOMEONE AT THE SCHOOL CAN
CONNECT THE FAMILY TO ANY
RESOURCE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT
THEY NEED. AND BUT OUR FAMILIES
NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO
KNOW THAT THEY CAN ASK FOR THAT.
THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THE
SCHOOL IS THE HUB FOR HEALTH AND
MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL
SERVICES, AND OTHER THINGS THAT
WILL ULTIMATELY HELP OUR
STUDENTS TO HAVE MORE ACADEMIC
SUCCESS. AND SO TO YOUR
QUESTION, I JUST THINK PEER
EDUCATION AND PARENT EDUCATION
AND THOSE WHO KNOW HOW TO
ORGANIZE IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET
THE WORD OUT IN DIFFERENT WAYS
SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE
INFORMATION IS PART OF IT, WE DO
WE NEED GOOD CAMPAIGNS WHERE
KIDS GET INFORMATION FROM
FRIENDS AND FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. I
ALWAYS WORRY THAT WHEN KIDS GET
INFORMATION FROM FRIENDS, THEY
ONLY GET PART OF THE STORY. AND
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WORRY
ABOUT WHAT KIDS SEE ON SOCIAL
MEDIA THAT THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS
BE ACCURATE. AND SO WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE FIND WAYS TO
GET INFORMATION TO STUDENTS AND
THEIR FAMILIES THAT THEY CAN
COUNT ON, THAT THEY CAN TRUST.
AND THAT COULD SAVE A LIFE.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU
AGAIN. I KNOW YOU HAD A HARD
STOP, AND WE WANT TO RESPECT
YOUR TIME, BUT WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU YOU BEING HERE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
IT REALLY IS GREAT TO HEAR A
NUMBER OF THESE LAWS THAT HAVE
PASSED THAT NOW YOU'RE TASKED IN
PART TO IMPLEMENT AND YOUR
ATTENTION TO IT, YOUR FOCUS ON
IT AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS MUCH
APPRECIATED. WE DO KNOW THAT IF
WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN
CONFRONTING THIS EPIDEMIC AND
SAVE LIVES, THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE
GOING TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF
THAT AND EDUCATION AND
PREVENTION AND SAFETY. AND ALSO,
AS YOU SAID, SOME OF THE ROOT
CAUSES THERE RELATED TO MENTAL
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY TODAY AND FOR YOUR
CONTRIBUTIONS. AND I DON'T KNOW
IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT TO
SAY IN CLOSING, BUT I REALLY
JUST APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED
PARTNERSHIP. JUST THANKS. THANKS
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. AND,
YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST NOTE, BY
THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE, I KNOW
THAT THIS IS A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.
WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE
STAND TO WIN AND GAIN BY WORKING
TOGETHER. AND I WANT TO THANK
YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO
PROTECT CHILDREN FROM THESE
HARMS AND TO SUPPORT OUR
FAMILIES GOING FORWARD. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT. I AM
NOW GOING TO BRING UP OUR SECOND
PANEL, WHICH, IS GOING TO FOCUS
ON EARLY INTERVENTION, LOW
BARRIER ACCESS TO TREATMENT AND
COMMUNITY RESOURCES, WE ARE,
GOING TO BE FOCUSING AS I SAID,
ON EDUCATION, PREVENTION,
TREATMENT, AND, OF COURSE, A
PART OF THAT HERE IS MAKING SURE
THAT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING ADDICTION, THAT
THEY HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO GET
HELP AND THAT WE ADDRESS SOME OF
THOSE BARRIERS IN ORDER OF
TESTIMONY TODAY, WE HAVE, THEO
CRESWICK, THE CEO OF END
OVERDOSE AND DOCTOR JAMIE
CONGDON, A PEDIATRICIAN AND
ADDICTION RESEARCHER AT UCSF.
AND I WANT TO INVITE THEM UP TO
SPEAK THIS MORNING.
HELLO. MY NAME IS THEO CRESWICK.
I'M CEO OF A NONPROFIT CALLED,
END OVERDOSE. IF YOU COULD GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK I CAN
SEE IT OVER THERE, AND, THE
ORGANIZATION THAT I RUN. AND
PART OF THE REASON I HOPE TO
SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY IS WE'RE A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, THAT
SERVICES THE ENTIRE STATE AS
WELL AS THE NATION AND OUR
ORGANIZATION IS FOCUSED ON A
PEER TO PEER LED APPROACH. WHAT
WE DO IS WE TRAIN YOUNG PEOPLE
TO IDENTIFY AND RESPOND TO
OVERDOSE AND PREVENT OVERDOSE IN
THEIR DAY TO DAY LIVES. AND IF
YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
WE UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THE
PROBLEM THAT WE'RE FACED WITH
TODAY. WE UNDERSTAND THE
SEVERITY OF THIS PROBLEM. YOU GO
ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE AS WELL. WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THE OVERDOSE
DEATHS NATIONALLY HAVE GONE
BEYOND 100,000. WE ALSO
UNDERSTAND THAT DRUG USE IN AGE
DEMOGRAPHICS 18 TO 25 AND UNDER
17, ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST DRUG
USERS IN CALIFORNIA. AND THIS IS
INFORMATION FROM THE CALIFORNIA
ALMANAC, IF WE GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND,
OUR STRATEGY IS FOCUSED ON PEER
TO PEER EDUCATION, DISTRIBUTION,
WEB BASED SERVICES AND MAKING
THESE SERVICES ACCESSIBLE TO
YOUNG PEOPLE. IF WE COULD GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE. AND WHAT WE
FIGURED OUT AND AT LEAST WHAT WE
FOUND FOR OURSELVES, IS THAT THE
IDEAL SETTINGS FOR THESE
DISTRIBUTIONS ARE MIDDLE SCHOOLS
AND HIGH SCHOOLS, COLLEGE
CAMPUSES, NIGHTLIFE AND MUSIC
EVENTS, AS WELL AS ONLINE. RIGHT
NOW THE SOCIETY HAS REALLY
CHANGED AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE
TO MODEL OUR COMMUNICATION TOOLS
TO THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO REACH, IF WE CAN GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE AND FOR US,
WHAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IS
YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE
CREATE AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THE
DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
REACH. WE HAVE A CHAPTER PROGRAM
THAT'S LED THROUGH COLLEGE
STUDENTS THEY'VE TRAINED THIS
YEAR. THEY'VE ALREADY TRAINED
14,000 STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA,
AND ALL THESE STUDENTS WERE
TRAINED BY A PEER EDUCATOR. IF
YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
WE HAVE 13 CHAPTERS IN
CALIFORNIA AND 50 NATIONWIDE.
AND WHAT THEY FOCUS ON IS
PROVIDING THE RESOURCES THAT
EVERYONE YOU KNOW HAS BEEN SO
HELPFUL IN PASSING. ON TO THOSE
SCHOOLS AND THE STUDENTS AT
THOSE SCHOOLS, IF WE COULD GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE. AND PART OF THIS
STRATEGY IS FOCUSING ON GETTING
THE INFORMATION THAT WE WANT
THEM TO RECEIVE IN A WAY THAT
THEY WANT TO RECEIVE IT. THE
INFORMATION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
GIVE THEM IS ONLY AS GOOD AS AS
IF THE PERSON THAT IS TAKING
THAT INFORMATION WILL HEAR IT.
AND WE'VE HAD SO MANY FAILED
CAMPAIGNS THAT HAVE REALLY GONE
NOWHERE. THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER
UPTAKE, ONE OF THE SETTINGS THAT
WE DO OUR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS
EDUCATION, DISTRIBUTE NALOXONE
AND THIS TRAINING IS AT
NIGHTLIFE EVENTS. WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO DO NIGHTLIFE EVENTS IN
CALIFORNIA, TRAINING OVER
100,000 PEOPLE WITH PARTNERSHIPS
WITH THE LARGEST MUSIC
COMPANIES. IN THE COACHELLA
VALLEY, TRAINING HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, IF YOU
COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND,
ANOTHER PIECE OF THE THING THAT
WE FOCUS ON IS TAKING A LOT OF
THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE,
YOU KNOW, IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF
TOOLKITS. AND THEN REPACKAGING
IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE WANT TO
LISTEN TO. IF WE COULD GO TO THE
NEXT SLIDE. WE USE OBVIOUSLY
SOCIAL MEDIA TO TRANSMIT A LOT
OF THOSE INFORMATIONS. I DRAW
THIS CONCLUSION JUST BECAUSE OUR
SOCIAL MEDIA IS RELATIVELY LARGE
AND ABLE TO COMMUNICATE A LOT OF
THESE IDEAS. NEXT SLIDE, AND WE
PROVIDE AN ONLINE DIGITAL
TRAINING THAT ALLOWS FOR PEOPLE
TO GET THESE SERVICES. NEXT
SLIDE, WE USE INFLUENCERS TO
REALLY PUSH THIS INFORMATION.
THIS IS REALLY ESSENTIAL TO
GAINING THE TRUST OF THE
COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
SERVE. NEXT SLIDE. AND, ONE
THING THAT I WANT TO DRAW TO YOU
IS THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED A STUDY,
THROUGH THE ORTEZ AND NACO, THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY
AND HEALTH OFFICIALS, TO FOCUS
ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS DONE
RIGHT AFTER MELANIE'S LAW WAS
PASSED. IF WE COULD GO TO THE
NEXT SLIDE WITH PARTNERS OF LA,
USD, LA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH,
AND SANTA CLARA UNIFIED. AND
WHAT WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS
ON IS IF THE EDUCATION THAT
WE'RE PROVIDING AND THE WAY THAT
WE'RE DOING IT IS INCREASING
RETENTION RATES, WHICH IT DID BY
25%. IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE, IN ADDITION TO THIS, THIS
TRAINED 6000 STUDENTS, AND WE
HELD DIFFERENT LISTENING
SESSIONS. WE TRAINED OVER 68
DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS AND
MIDDLE SCHOOLS. AND THIS TOOK
EFFECT RIGHT AFTER MELANIE'S LAW
WAS PASSED IN OCTOBER 10TH OF
LAST YEAR, UP UNTIL THIS JULY,
IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM,
THE PEOPLE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO
TRAIN WAS THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE
STUDENTS AND HAVING THEM BE PART
OF THE EDUCATION THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO HAVE. RIGHT. CREATING
DIFFERENT METHODS THAT WILL HELP
THEM BE EDUCATED, AND REALLY
ENGAGE THEIR ATTENTION, NEXT
SLIDE, AND SO JUST SOME KEY
TAKEAWAYS FOR US, LAST YEAR WE
TRAINED OVER 216,000 PEOPLE. 70%
OF THOSE WERE IN CALIFORNIA. AND
THESE WERE ALL PEOPLE THAT WERE
LED AND TAUGHT BY PEERS, THIS IS
A SUBSTANTIAL THING THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE WANT. NEXT SLIDE. AND,
YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU GUYS FOR
YOUR TIME, NEXT TIME WE'LL MAKE
SURE I CONTROL THE POWERPOINT.
SO IT WAS GREAT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR
WORK. I'M GOING TO HAVE DOCTOR
CONGDON GO, AND THEN WE WILL,
HAVE QUESTIONS FOR BOTH OF YOU
AFTER THAT. JUST GOT TO HIT THE
MIC. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. I
APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION
TO THIS ONGOING CRISIS, AND
SPECIFICALLY FOR FOCUSING ON
YOUTH TODAY. WE JUST TO LEVEL
SET WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF
SUBSTANCE USE AND THE
EPIDEMIOLOGY IN CALIFORNIA, WE
ARE HAVING SOME SUCCESS. WE'RE
SEEING DECLINING RATES OF
SUBSTANCE USE IN CALIFORNIA. SO
LESS KIDS ARE USING OPIOIDS THAN
IN YEARS PAST. HOWEVER, WE
CONTINUE TO SEE DESPITE LESS
USE, INCREASING RATES OF
ADDICTION OR SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDERS, AND INCREASING RATES
OF OVERDOSES. AND THE REASON FOR
THAT DISCONNECT IS THAT THE
OPIOIDS THAT KIDS ARE USING
TODAY, AND WE'RE TALKING MAINLY
ABOUT FENTANYL, IS MUCH MORE
ADDICTIVE THAN OPIOIDS THAT WERE
USED IN YEARS PAST. SO OF THE
FEWER PEOPLE ARE USING BUT OF
THE PEOPLE WHO USE, THEY ARE
MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP AN
ADDICTION OR A SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER. THE OTHER PIECE OF
THAT IS SEEING THE INCREASING
RATES OF OVERDOSE. AND THAT IS
PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE FENTANYL,
BUT ALSO BECAUSE THE
CONTAMINATION OF OUR DRUG
SUPPLY. SO WE'RE SEEING A LOT
MORE FENTANYL IN OTHER
SUBSTANCES. MAKING THEM MORE
ADDICTIVE AND ALSO MAKING THE
KIND OF WHEN WE SEE A
COMBINATION OF USE, WHAT WE'RE
SEEING, WE CALL POLY SUBSTANCE
USE, THERE'S A MUCH HIGHER RISK
OF OVERDOSE. SO THOSE THINGS
TOGETHER ARE LEADING TO THAT.
EVEN DESPITE DECLINING USE,
INCREASING RATES OF ADDICTION
AND OVERDOSES, SO I WANT TO MAKE
SURE IN ADDRESSING THESE, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT BOTH PREVENTION
AND TREATMENT TODAY, ON THE
PREVENTION SIDE OF THINGS, I
APPRECIATE THAT. SUPERINTENDENT
THURMOND WAS HERE BECAUSE WHEN
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADOLESCENT
HEALTH, WE HAVE TO MEET KIDS
WHERE THEY ARE. AND I MEAN THAT
BOTH FIGURATIVELY AND LITERALLY.
AND SO THE MOST RELIABLE PLACE
YOU'RE GOING TO FIND KIDS IS IN
SCHOOLS. AND SO THAT'S SUCH AN
IMPORTANT VEHICLE FOR DELIVERING
EDUCATION. AND THE, THE
RESOURCES, THE TOOLS TO PREVENT
OVERDOSE AS WELL, SO SCHOOL
BASED CLINICIANS AND SCHOOL
BASED HEALTH CENTERS ARE A
REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE
SOLUTION, AND THEO AND OTHERS
TODAY, I THINK, ARE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT SOME CREATIVE AND
INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT THEY ARE
ADDRESSING THIS. SO I WON'T GET
IN TO DETAIL. THERE BUT I THINK
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I
JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN
TALK ABOUT NARCAN OR NALOXONE
TODAY, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT
THAT THE LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS IN
THE PAST YEAR HAVE, MADE SURE
NARCAN IS AVAILABLE IN PUBLIC
SPACES. WE'RE STILL SEEING A LOT
OF KIDS DYING AT, LIKE, ALONE,
AT HOME OR WITH FRIENDS. AND SO
ALSO EQUIPPING KIDS WITH, LIKE,
INDIVIDUAL SUPPLY OF NALOXONE OR
NARCAN IS REALLY IMPORTANT, TOO.
SO MOVING OVER TO THE TREATMENT
SIDE OF THINGS, THE GOOD NEWS IS
THAT WE HAVE A SAFE AND
EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR OPIOID
ADDICTION IN YOUNG PEOPLE. WE'RE
MAINLY TALKING ABOUT
BUPRENORPHINE, AND I JUST WANT
TO STRESS, I KNOW WE TALKED
ABOUT THIS IN THE LAST SESSION,
BUT, EFFECTIVE OR EVIDENCE BASED
TREATMENT FOR OPIOID ADDICTION
REQUIRES MEDICATION AS PART OF
IT. LIKE THERAPY ALONE IS MOST
MOST OF THE TIME NOT ENOUGH TO
TREAT A FENTANYL ADDICTION,
HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE
THAT SAFE AND EFFECTIVE
TREATMENT AVAILABLE, WE'RE STILL
HEARING FROM YOUNG PEOPLE THAT
IT IS EASIER TO GET FENTANYL
THAN IT IS TO GET TREATMENT FOR
FENTANYL ADDICTION. AND SO JUST
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS A
PEDIATRICIAN, THE TWO, LIKE I
WOULD SAY, MAIN BUCKETS OF
BARRIERS THAT I'M SEEING FALL
INTO WORKFORCE ISSUES AND
INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, ON THE
WORKFORCE SIDE OF THINGS, I'LL
JUST TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT WHAT THE
LANDSCAPE OF TREATMENT LOOKS
LIKE. THERE ARE A LOT OF
POSSIBLE PROVIDER TYPES THAT
COULD TREAT AN OPIOID ADDICTION
IN A YOUNG PERSON, THERE'S
PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS. THERE
ARE, ADDICTION MEDICINE
SPECIALISTS, PSYCHIATRISTS.
HOWEVER, IF YOU KIND OF IF YOU
WERE TO DRAW A VENN DIAGRAM OF
LIKE, WHO ARE ALL THE PROVIDERS
WHO TREAT AND HAVE KIND OF THE
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE TO TREAT
PEDIATRIC PATIENTS OR YOUTH, AND
THEN IN ANOTHER CIRCLE, IF YOU
HAVE ALL THE PROVIDERS WHO HAVE
THE TRAINING EXPERIENCE TO TREAT,
OPIOID ADDICTION, THERE'S ALMOST
NO OVERLAP. AND SO, WHILE
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT
TYPES OF PROVIDERS AND SETTINGS
WHERE YOU COULD TREAT OPIOID
ADDICTION, I THINK IS AN
OPPORTUNITY. AND TO BE HONEST, I
DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THE POLICY
LEVERS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
ARE TO GET AT THAT, BUT THAT IS
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST BARRIER
THAT I SEE IN ACCESS TO
TREATMENT, AND I SHOULD MENTION
THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MEDICINE IS
NOT SO DIFFERENT IN TREATING
OPIOID ADDICTION IN A TEENAGER
VERSUS AN ADULT. THE BIOLOGY IS
NOT SO DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S KIND
OF THE THERE'S THE COMFORT LEVEL
ASPECT OF IT. AND THEN THERE'S
ALL THE DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES
THAT SURROUND IT. THERE'S ISSUES
RELATED TO, INVOLVING CAREGIVERS
AND ISSUES AROUND
CONFIDENTIALITY AND CONSENT. SO
THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL
CONSIDERATIONS IN TREATING
YOUTH, AND THEN ON THE
INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE OF THINGS, I
MOSTLY WANTED TO JUST MENTION
THE SEVERE SHORTAGE OF
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT
FACILITIES. AND THAT IS THE CASE
ACROSS CALIFORNIA IN ALL AGE
GROUPS. BUT IT IS EVEN MORE
LIMITED FOR MINORS, THERE WAS A
STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN THE LAST
YEAR THAT FOUND. AND I'LL TAKE A
STEP BACK. SO LIKE RESIDENTIAL
TREATMENT FACILITIES, WE HAVE A
LIMITED NUMBER IN THE STATE. BUT
IF YOU THEN TALK ABOUT NEEDING
ACCESS FOR SOMEONE WHO'S ON
MEDI-CAL, THAT NUMBER BECOMES
EVEN SMALLER. IF YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT OBVIOUSLY MINORS, THAT
NUMBER BECOMES EVEN SMALLER. IF
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE WHO
HAS ANOTHER MENTAL HEALTH
PROBLEM, WHICH IS ALMOST
EVERYONE, LIKE THAT NUMBER
BECOMES EVEN SMALLER. AND THERE
ARE SOME FACILITIES, FACILITIES
THAT CALL THEMSELVES RESIDENTIAL
TREATMENT FACILITIES, BUT THEY
DON'T OFFER MEDICATION. SO LIKE
REALLY WHITTLES DOWN TO ALMOST
NO AVAILABILITY OF RESIDENTIAL
TREATMENT FOR MINORS WHO NEED
THAT INPATIENT AT LEAST TO START
THEIR TREATMENT. SO I'LL JUST
SUM UP BY SAYING WE HAVE
CONTINUED TO SEE RISING RATES OF
OPIOID ADDICTION, RISING RATES
OF OVERDOSES IN YOUTH. BUT WE DO
HAVE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PREVENT
OVERDOSES. AND WE HAVE EFFECTIVE
WAYS TO TREAT OPIOID ADDICTION.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING
THE TREATMENT AND THE RESOURCES
TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT, SO
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR
ATTENTION. HAPPY TO TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR JOINING US AND, AND
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR,
HELPING US ADDRESS SOME OF THESE
BARRIERS. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO WORK TOGETHER ON A FEW PIECES
OF LEGISLATION THAT HAVE TRIED
TO GET AT THIS, BUT WE HAVE HAVE
A LONG WAY TO GO, COLLEAGUES, WE
CAN OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FOR
EITHER OF OUR OF OUR PANELISTS.
IF YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY, MR.
KOLLER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR TAKING
THE TIME TO BE HERE, ON SUCH AN
IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND BOTH OF YOU
MADE REFERENCE TO, KIND OF NEW
WAYS OF COMMUNICATING SOCIAL
MEDIA, BEING ONE OF THEM. AND,
AND ONE THING AT LEAST, YOU KNOW,
CERTAINLY I READ SOME ABOUT, BUT
I'VE NOTICED AS WELL, JUST IN
TERMS OF INTERACTION, IS THAT, I
THINK SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE.
YOUTH ARE TYPICALLY NOT AS
RESPONSIVE TO FORMALLY PACKAGED
MESSAGING, WHAT HAVE YOU, AS
OPPOSED TO, AS MENTIONED, KIND
OF THE PEER TO PEER, MORE
ORGANIC TYPE MESSAGING AND
COMMUNICATION. AND SO, HOW HOW
AND IF AND HOW IS THAT BEING
USED IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION
ON WHETHER IT'S INSTAGRAM OR
TIKTOK OR OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL
MEDIA WHERE IT'S NOT KIND OF
THIS REALLY POLISHED TYPE OF
MESSAGING, BUT RATHER ONE IN
WHICH, IT'S A MORE GENUINE OR AT
LEAST IT GIVES THAT SENSE OF A
MORE GENUINE COMMUNICATION
STYLE, WHICH, FRANKLY, HAS
REALLY LED TO A LOT OF FOLKS
GETTING REALLY POPULAR ON TIKTOK
IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AS
PACKAGED, AS POLISHED, AND AS
SOME OF THE COMPANIES OR
NONPROFITS THAT ARE TRYING TO
COMMUNICATE IN A MORE FORMAL
WAY. SO JUST I DON'T KNOW IF
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE
NOTICED OR TRIED TO IMPLEMENT IN
AN EFFECTIVE WAY OR FROM A KIND
OF, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL STANDPOINT
AND IN TERMS OF HOW YOU REACH A
YOUTH OF WHY THAT SEEMS TO BE
MORE EFFECTIVE AND HOW WE CAN
BUILD UPON THAT FROM A FORMAL
MANNER BUILT ON INFORMAL
COMMUNICATION AS PART OF A
FORMAL STRATEGY, THANK YOU,
SANTA CLARA. SO, WE'VE DONE SOME
WORK OVER THERE, AND WE USE
SOCIAL MEDIA VERY HEAVILY. IF
YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT
CAMPAIGNS THAT CITIES WILL
SPONSOR AND PUT ON, THEY'LL PAY
LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY. L.A.
COUNTY IS PUTTING ON ONE THAT'S
ABOUT $4.6 MILLION TO REACH
PEOPLE. THEY HIRE AN OUTSIDE
AGENCY. THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, PUT
IN SOCIAL MEDIA ASPECT ONTO IT,
AND THEN THEY'LL PAY FOR IT WITH
ADS ORGANICALLY, YOU CAN REACH
THE EXACT SAME LEVEL VERY
INTENSELY, TO THESE POPULATION
CENTERS. BUT WHAT'S REALLY,
REALLY IMPORTANT IS THE LEVEL OF
ENGAGEMENT, THE RETENTION TIME
ON THEM, WATCHING IT AND TAKING
THINGS THAT YOU WOULD ALREADY BE
TRYING TO COMMUNICATE. PUBLIC
HEALTH PIECES, FOR EXAMPLE,
OVERDOSE PREVENTION, WHERE YOU
GET THE RESOURCE, WHAT IS THE
THING ACCESSIBLE TO YOU, AND
PUTTING IT IN A LANGUAGE AND A
FLOW STYLE WITH SOMEBODY THAT
THEY ARE MORE INTERESTED IN,
RIGHT. THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN
ME. THEY DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO
ME TALK ABOUT IT. THEY WANT TO
HEAR SOMEONE THAT'S SOCIALLY
RELEVANT TO THEM. RIGHT? THEY
WANT TO HEAR SOMEBODY. FOR
EXAMPLE, WE WORKED WITH A CEO OF
THE LARGEST ELECTRONIC MUSIC
COMPANY IN THE WORLD, INSOMNIAC,
AND HE MADE A POST THAT REACHED
200,000 PEOPLE. WE DIDN'T PAY
FOR THAT. RIGHT. AND IT CREATED
A SOCIAL MOVEMENT, UPTAKEN BY
YOUNG PEOPLE. SO USING THESE
TOOLS EFFECTIVELY AND GETTING
MOTIVATION BEHIND THE
DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
REACH IS REALLY HOW WE'RE GOING
TO SEE A LOT OF CHANGE. SO WE
USE THEM CONSTANTLY. THEY'RE
VERY COST EFFECTIVE WHEN DONE
CORRECTLY. AND THEY THEY
INFLUENCE AND CHANGE LIVES.
THANK YOU. I'LL JUST BUILD ON
THAT A LITTLE BIT. I AGREE THAT
LISTENING TO YOUTH, YOU KNOW,
YOU MENTIONED LIKE GENUINE
COMMUNICATION. I THINK THAT
MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO ALL
OF US IN THIS ROOM COMPARED TO
IF YOU ASK A 16 YEAR OLD WHAT
THEY SEE AS LIKE EFFECTIVE OR
GENUINE COMMUNICATION. AND SO WE
REALLY HAVE TO FOLLOW THEIR LEAD
IN TERMS OF HOW THEY THINK THEY
WILL BEST HEAR MESSAGES AND HAVE
THEM, YOU KNOW, LEAD THAT LIKE
PEER EFFORTS ARE INCREDIBLY
POWERFUL, I THINK THERE ISN'T
ONE RIGHT SOLUTION. ALSO,
THOUGH, THEY DO NEED TO HEAR
EITHER FROM A PEDIATRICIAN OR
TEACHER, OR THEY NEED TO KNOW
THAT THERE'S A TRUSTED ADULT WHO
WILL NOT JUDGE AND WHO WILL
CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES IF
THEY NEED. SO I THINK THAT
THAT'S THAT THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
PIECE. STILL BUT NOT THE MOST
IMPORTANT PIECE FOR DELIVERING
EDUCATION AND INFORMATION. THANK
YOU, MR. PATTERSON. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. I ALSO WANT TO LET
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE
WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU DO IT.
AND I THINK THE
COMPREHENSIVENESS, USING,
DISCIPLINARY, INDIVIDUALS AND
INFORMATION AND THOSE KINDS OF
THINGS IN, IDIOMATIC FORM THAT
YOUNG PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND AND
ACCEPT AND, FRESNO COUNTY, OVER
THE YEARS HAS DONE WHAT THEY
HAVE CALLED A FORT TEAM, THE
FENTANYL OVERDOSE RESCUE TEAM.
AND THEY HAVE INCORPORATED SO
MANY OF THE METHODOLOGIES THAT
YOU HAVE OUTLINED HERE, THE
SCHOOLS ARE INVOLVED, THE
SUPERINTENDENTS OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION IN FRESNO COUNTY,
THE MEDIA IS INVOLVED. IN FACT,
ABC 30, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE
MOST WATCHED NEWS FACILITY, IN
FRESNO COUNTY, PRODUCED AN
ASTOUNDING AND FRANKLY, AWARD
WINNING DOCUMENTARY CALLED ONE
PILL CAN KILL, AND WHAT FRESNO
COUNTY DID WAS THEY CREATED, THE
KIND OF INFORMATION OBVIOUSLY.
YES, UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT IT
WAS ON BILLBOARDS AS WELL. BUT
ALSO IT WAS IN MOVIE THEATERS.
PARTICULARLY WHERE THE MOVIE
WAS, YOUNG PEOPLE ORIENTED. WE
HAD GREAT COOPERATION FROM THE
OWNERS OF THE, OF THE THEATER,
THE PUBLIC HEALTH PEOPLE, PART
OF THAT TEAM, THEY WILL HAVE
PUBLIC HEALTH PROVIDERS WHEN AN
OVERDOSE TAKES PLACE, WE'LL GO
TO THE HOSPITAL, WE'LL HELP. IF
THAT OVERDOSE WAS FATAL, THEY
BEGIN TO GATHER THE INFORMATION
AND THEY BEGIN TO TRY TO FIGURE
OUT WHERE WAS THAT CHAIN OF
COMMAND FROM FROM FROM THE FROM
THE PILL TO THE TO THE YOUNG
PERSON. AND THAT INFORMATION
THEN GOES TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT
PARTNERS, THE FRESNO COUNTY
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE FRESNO
POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE EVEN HAD,
HELP FROM OUR CALIFORNIA,
HIGHWAY PATROL. AND ALSO THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
WHICH IN OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY
WAS BASICALLY THE ONE THAT PUT
ALL THAT TOGETHER. AND BACK IN
2022, I AUTHORED A BILL. AND I
APPRECIATE EVERY PERSON UP HERE
VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT, WHICH WAS
TAKING THAT MODEL AND PROVIDING
WE ASKED ORIGINALLY FOR $3
MILLION IN IN STATE FUNDING. AND
WE STIPULATED THAT THERE WERE
GUIDELINES AROUND THIS
INTERDISCIPLINARY, IDIOMATIC,
HEALTH, THE SCHOOLS, MEDIA,
MULTIMEDIA, ALL OF THAT, IN TWO
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, TWO IN
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA, AND TWO IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AND WE HAD
ASKED FOR $3 MILLION. WELL WHEN.
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF, OF
HEALTH LOOKED IT OVER, AND WE,
WE ACTUALLY PASSED IT AT THE $3
MILLION LEVEL. BUT WHEN IT GOT
OVER TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE,
THEY BUMPED THAT UP TO 5
MILLION. AND SO EACH OF THESE,
REPLICAS, IF YOU WILL, OF A OF A
REALLY QUITE A SUCCESSFUL
METHODOLOGY THAT, OUR EDUCATORS
REALLY WERE VERY, INSISTENT, WE
GOT TO DO THIS IN LANGUAGE AND
VISUALS AND MESSAGING, IN THE
IDIOMATIC, THAT KIDS UNDERSTAND
SO THAT IT IS A FAMILIAR,
APPROACH TO THEM. AND SO WE
MIRRORED AN AWFUL LOT OF THE
THINGS THAT REALLY WERE,
OBVIOUSLY YOUNG PEOPLE WERE
CATCHING ON TO AND, AND, AND
RESPONDING WELL TO AND SO, THOSE
FUNDS HAVE BEEN DISPERSED,
FRESNO COUNTY WAS ONE OF THOSE
THAT, GOT THE PART OF THAT
FUNDING WHICH WAS IMPORTANT.
FRESNO COUNTY HAD FUNDED ALL OF
THIS ON THEIR OWN, AND SO THEY
HAD SEVERAL PARTNERS THAT WERE
PART OF THE POOL THAT APPLIED.
AND BOTH IN IN TREATMENT AND
OVERDOSE AND, AND, ADDICTION
COUNSELING, THINGS OF THAT
NATURE, AND SO, THESE, THESE
PROJECTS UP AND DOWN THE STATE,
HAVE A LOT OF PIECES TO IT, LIKE
YOU HAVE OUTLINED HERE. AND
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE
LEGISLATURE AND THESE MEMBERS.
BUT I'M ALSO GRATEFUL TO THE
ADMINISTRATION WHO SAW THIS AS
SO IMPORTANT AND GAVE US MORE
THAN WE ASKED FOR, WHICH WAS
KIND OF NICE. AND 2022, WE WERE
HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF BUDGET
ISSUES BACK THEN AS WELL. BUT I
WANTED, THE MEMBERS TO KNOW I
APPRECIATED THEIR SUPPORT FOR
IT, ALSO, THE APPRECIATION THAT
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE RECOGNIZED
IT AND BUMPED THE FUNDING UP AND
FOR THE INTENSIVE AND
SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECTIVE WAY THAT
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH SERVICES LOOKED AT THE
APPLICATIONS AND CHOSE THOSE
THAT BEST MIRRORED THIS
MULTIDISCIPLINARY, IDIOMATIC,
FOCUSED, AND ALSO NOT JUST LAW
ENFORCEMENT, BUT TREATMENT AND,
INTERACTION WITH, WITH PARENTS.
AND PART OF THAT COALITION, WAS
A VERY SUCCESSFUL, OPIOID
TREATMENT, NONPROFIT IN, IN
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA, PAIN, PAIN.
AND, SO WE'RE SEEING SOME, SOME
REALLY GOOD RESULTS, AND IT WAS
IT'S GRATIFYING FOR ME TO SIT
HERE AND HEAR FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE AND THAT WE I THINK
WE GOT IT RIGHT IN FRESNO ON OUR
OWN, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT MADE SO
MUCH SENSE. AND WE HAD
LEADERSHIP FROM THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND FROM OUR
SCHOOL, OUR COUNTYWIDE SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDENTS. AND IT JUST. I,
I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT WE WERE
ABLE TO DO IT. AND THERE ARE
THESE SIMILAR PROGRAMS NOW BEING
STOOD UP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
THE TWO OF THEM IN CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA AND TWO IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA. AS A RESULT OF THE
LEGISLATION AND THE
ADMINISTRATION, SEEING THAT IT
WAS IMPORTANT TO DO A LITTLE
MORE THAN THE 3 MILLION. AND
THAT WAS A PLEASANT SURPRISE,
AND I WAS GRATEFUL FOR IT. SO
THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO. BUT
ALSO, IT HAS BEEN AN
ENCOURAGEMENT THAT FRESNO COUNTY
AND THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
ARE PUTTING THEM TOGETHER
SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND
TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL,
PARTICULARLY ENGAGING WITH THE
YOUNG PEOPLE ON THEIR OWN TERMS
AND THEIR OWN IDIOMS AND IN
THEIR OWN SPACES OF INPUT, AND
EXPERIENCE, SO THANK YOU. AND
I'M GRATEFUL ALSO FOR COLLEAGUES
BACK IN 2022 BECAUSE THIS
COMMITTEE WAS PUT TOGETHER TO
LISTEN, TO LEARN, AND TO ACT.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS
I'M GRATEFUL FOR IS THAT THE I
THINK THIS COMMITTEE HELPED
SIGNIFICANTLY FOR THE REST OF
THE BODY, BOTH IN THE SENATE
SIDE AND THE ASSEMBLY SIDE TO
SEE THAT THIS WAS AN EFFECTIVE
WAY TO ACT BASED ON THE HISTORY
THAT WE HAD IN FRESNO COUNTY,
AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS
COMPREHENSIVE AND A LOT OF TEAM
MEMBERS WHO WERE ENGAGED IN IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR WHAT, MY COLLEAGUES DID. AND
I WILL JUST CLOSE WITH WE NEED
MORE ACTION AS A RESULT OF THESE
HEARINGS. WE GOT SOME ACTION ON
AB 2356. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
BUT WE CAN'T STOP THERE. AND SO
I'M HOPING THAT, FROM THIS, IN
FOLLOWING SESSIONS OF THE I'M
GOING TO I'M TERMED OUT. SO I'M
AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. SO I
YOU KNOW I PROBABLY WATCHED FROM
AFAR, BUT, I JUST WANT TO
ENCOURAGE US FINDING OUT ABOUT
IT, BEING INFORMED ABOUT IT,
THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT IT CANNOT
STOP THERE. THERE CREATIVE WAYS
TO ACT LEGISLATIVELY THAT CAN
FILL SOME OF THESE GAPS. AND I
THINK OUR FOURTH, APPROACH AND
THE 5 MILLION MIRRORS A LOT OF
THAT. AND SO I'M HOPING THAT
FROM THE HEARINGS, YOU KNOW, WE
IDEAS ARE BIRTHED THAT MATCH UP
WITH THE NEED AND YOU'VE
EXPLAINED AND SOME OF THAT NEED.
SO I APPRECIATE IT. AND, THANK
YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THE CHAIR
FOR INVITING ME TO BE ON THE ON
THE COMMITTEE, AND GRATEFUL FOR
BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE HERE.
THANKS. THANK YOU, MR.
PATTERSON. AND THANK YOU FOR
THOSE WORDS. AND FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP. I KNOW YOU'VE MADE A
HUGE IMPACT ON, ON ON THIS ISSUE.
AND FRESNO, AS YOU'VE YOU'VE
SHARED WITH ME, IS REALLY
LEADING IN CONFRONTING THIS,
PARTICULARLY ON THE PREVENTION
AND EDUCATION FRONT. AND I THINK
THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN FROM FROM
WHAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE. AND
TO BE EXTENDED, THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. I KNOW DOCTOR CONGDON HAS
TO LEAVE VERY SOON, BUT MR. THE
OTHER MR. PATTERSON HAD, HAD HAD
A QUESTION THAT HE WANTED TO
SHARE, AND THEN WE CAN ALLOW THE
DOCTOR TO BE ABLE TO MAKE HER
NEXT APPOINTMENT. WELL, THANK
YOU. THANKS FOR LETTING ME GO
AFTER MY SLIGHTLY OLDER BROTHER,
OVER HERE, THE ONE WITH HAIR, I
HAVE A QUESTION, LAST YEAR,
THERE WAS A LEGISLATION, SB 641,
WHICH WAS WHICH I THINK WE HAVE
TWO OF THE COAUTHORS UP HERE,
WHICH WAS BIPARTISAN, YOU KNOW,
PASSED SENATE 40 TO NOTHING. AND
THE ASSEMBLY 76 TO 0, WHICH
WOULD HAVE GIVEN MORE,
FLEXIBILITY TO EMERGENCY
OFFICIALS TO GIVE NALOXONE AND
HIGHER DOSES THAN FOUR
MILLIGRAMS. IT COULD HAVE DONE
EIGHT MILLIGRAMS. IT WOULD HAVE
PUT IT ON THE NALOXONE
DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM AND
UNFORTUNATELY, THE GOVERNOR
VETOED IT. BUT ALMOST EVERY,
POLICE OFFICER OR FIRST
RESPONDER THAT I SPEAK TO
EMERGENCY ROOMS, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE ARE USING FENTANYL, YOU
KNOW, OFTEN BY CHOICE, THE NASAL
SPRAY, YOU MAY NEED MULTIPLE. SO
I WAS JUST WONDERING, ARE WE
SEEING HIGHER DOSES OF THE.
WELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY OPINIONS
ON WHETHER YOU THINK EMERGENCY
PERSONNEL HAVING THE EIGHT
MILLIGRAMS AVAILABLE OR HIGHER
DOSES AVAILABLE ON HAND WOULD BE
HELPFUL? NOT USED TO THIS. I WAS
GOING TO DEFER TO YOU ON THAT
QUESTION. I IT'S SAFE TO GIVE,
BUT YOU ARE A FIRST RESPONDER.
AM I CORRECT? I AM, I AM A FIRST
RESPONDER. SO I FORGOT TO
MENTION THAT I'VE ALSO BEEN IN
EMS FOR TEN YEARS. I WAS A
PARAMEDIC IN RIVERSIDE. I'VE
BEEN IN L.A. CITY, FOR MANY
YEARS. AND YOU KNOW, FROM A
PROFESSIONAL RESPONDER SIDE, THE
WAY THAT WE APPROACH THESE
EMERGENCIES IS VERY DIFFERENT,
RIGHT? LIKE FROM A PARAMEDIC
SIDE, OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
ISN'T ACTUALLY INTRANASAL AT
ALL. IT'S, REALLY FOCUSED ON
INTRAVASCULAR. RIGHT. THIS HAS
REALLY BEEN MADE FOR THE
CONVENIENCE, YOU KNOW, OF
SOMEBODY THAT IS MORE OF A
LAYMAN RESPONDER, AND WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IS WE'RE SEEING THE
OPIOID EPIDEMIC CHANGE, RIGHT?
WE'RE SEEING STRONGER, STRONGER,
STRONGER ANALOGS OF FENTANYL,
STRONGER LIKE, NITAZENES. COMING
INTO THE SPACE. AND WHAT I CAN
TELL YOU IS NOT EVERYBODY HAS
THE ABILITY TO RESPOND IN THE
SAME WAY THAT I DO. THEY DON'T
HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASSESS
RESPIRATIONS AND MECHANICAL
VENTILATION IN THE SAME WAY THAT
I DO. AND THEY'RE NOT AS
COMFORTABLE DOING SOMETHING
CALLED JUST TITRATING TO
RESPIRATORY EFFECT, WE HAVE AND
AS A PARAMEDIC, WE HAVE A WIDE
ARRAY OF DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS
THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SELECT FROM.
AND WITH OUR GROWING CONCERN
WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS
HAPPENING, I BELIEVE THAT WE
SHOULD MAKE EVERY SINGLE FDA
APPROVED NALOXONE AVAILABLE TO
THE PUBLIC. SO THEY HAVE THE
OPTION OF WHAT THEY WANT TO USE,
I WOULD SAY THAT THE ONE THING
THAT YOU KNOW, IS WORRISOME IS
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE, WHEN WE DO A LOT OF
EDUCATION, WE DO IT AT THE LIKE,
NIGHTLIFE SETTINGS, DIFFERENT
TYPES OF CLUB DRUGS WHERE PEOPLE
OVERDOSE, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW,
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. THAT'S
TYPICALLY WHERE YOU SEE
DIFFERENT ANALOGS BEING MIXED
IN, SO FROM AN EMERGENCY
RESPONDER PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE USING INTRAVASCULAR
NALOXONE, YOU KNOW, FROM A
COMMUNITY HEALTH PUBLIC
PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE
ANALOGS THAT ARE COMING IN AND
HAVING OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE
IS IMPORTANT, WHAT I'VE THIS IS
TOTAL ANECDOTAL, NOT EVIDENCE,
BUT WHAT I'VE SEEN I THINK
YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU KNOW PARAMEDIC
SHOWS UP AND THEY'RE GOING TO
HAVE DIFFERENT TREATMENT
OPTIONS. AND WHAT I UNDERSTAND
IS POLICE OFFICERS FOR EXAMPLE,
MIGHT BE MORE LIKELY TO CARRY
THE NASAL SPRAYS. YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE THEY CAN JUST CARRY THEM
WITH THEM RIGHT? EVERYWHERE THEY
GO. AND THEY DON'T HAVE IN THEIR
PRETTY ROBUST. AND SO I THINK I,
I HAVE SOME CONCERN WITH, YOU
KNOW, AN OFFICER HAVING TO CARRY
THREE CONTAINERS OF FOUR
MILLIGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN
MAYBE THEY CAN JUST CARRY ONE
EIGHT, YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE ONE
EIGHT AND ONE FOUR AND SORT OF
MAKE AN ASSESSMENT. BUT I DON'T
HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. BUT IF
YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THAT, YOU
KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR IT, BUT APPRECIATE THAT YOU
DID SAY THAT. YOU THINK WE GOT
TO MAKE IT ALL AVAILABLE IF IT'S
FDA APPROVED. THERE WE GO, YEAH,
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NEVER
GIVE A POLICE OFFICER JUST ONE
FOUR MILLIGRAM PACK, I THINK
EVERY POLICE OFFICER SHOULD BE
CARRYING NALOXONE, AND THEY NEED
TO HAVE IT WITH THEM. THE
TRAINING IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
PART OF THAT. LIKE, YOU HAVE TO
KNOW THAT YOU CAN GIVE ANOTHER
DOSE. IF IT'S THE FOUR MILLIGRAM
AND IT'S NOT WORKING OR IF IT
WORKS, AND THEN SOMEONE STARTS
TO FALL ASLEEP AGAIN AND THE
TRAINING PIECE ABOUT YOU HAVE TO
ALWAYS CALL 911, YOU HAVE TO
LIKE GET HELP BECAUSE EVEN IF
SOMEONE WAKES UP AND THEY SEEM
OKAY NOW, IT HAS A SHORT LIFE.
SHORT HALF LIFE. SO YEAH. THANK
YOU. AND THANK YOU TO BOTH OF
YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND,
YOU KNOW, I THINK AS YOU'VE
HEARD, THIS IS ALL, SOMETHING
THAT WE NEED A LOT MORE OF. AND
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL ARE
DOING TO, MEET YOUNG PEOPLE
WHERE THEY ARE IN EVERY SENSE OF
THE OF THE TERM, AND IF THERE
ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN, AS A
COMMITTEE OR I'M SURE
INDIVIDUALLY PARTNER WITH YOU
ALL, IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO
LEGISLATIVELY, I KNOW THAT WE
ARE ALL STANDING IN THE READY TO
DO THAT, BUT MOST OF ALL, WE
NEED MORE OF THIS IN MORE
PLACES, MORE ACCESSIBLE TO YOUNG
PEOPLE. I THINK IS THE MANDATE
THAT WE HAVE. AND TO DO IT IN
WAYS WHERE THEY ARE. AND I
ACTUALLY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
YOU PUT FORWARD, WE HAVE A WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA
PANEL A LITTLE LATER HERE, AND
WE WANT TO KIND OF ENGAGE A
LITTLE BIT AROUND SOME OF THOSE
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THIS LOOKS
LIKE MORE ONLINE. BUT I WANT TO
THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING EITHER
OF YOU WANT TO SAY IN CLOSING,
FEEL FREE AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON
TO THE NEXT PANEL. THANK YOU.
JUST WANTED TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE FOR HAVING US AND FOR
YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
WE WILL BRING OUR NEXT PANEL. TO
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PROVIDED,
TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP IN, IN
CONFRONTING THIS EPIDEMIC. AND,
AND ESPECIALLY AROUND HOW WE
CAN, DO PREVENTION AND
EDUCATION, AMY NEVILLE, WHO'S A
PARENT AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE
ALEXANDER NEVILLE FOUNDATION,
AND JULIE SHAMASH, A PARENT AND
PRESIDENT OF THE DRUG AWARENESS
FOUNDATION, WE, DEEPLY
APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU BEING
HERE AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I'LL TURN IT OVER. GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS AMY NEVILLE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE
TODAY TO SHARE MY STORY AND
UPDATE YOU ON THE PROGRESS OF
OUR MOVEMENT TO EDUCATE AND
EMPOWER OUR YOUNGEST CITIZENS.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY FAMILY'S STORY
HAS BEEN COMMONPLACE IN AMERICA,
BUT THE LESSONS REMAIN LARGELY
UNTAUGHT. AT 14, ALEXANDER WAS A
BRILLIANT AND WITTY YOUNG MAN
WITH A BIG FUTURE. AS SOMEONE
WHO HELD HIMSELF TO THE HIGHEST
STANDARDS, HE PUSHED HIMSELF TO
BE A GOOD STUDENT, A GOOD SCOUT,
A GOOD SKATER, A GOOD MARKSMAN
AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT HE
TRIED. WHEN ALEX WAS 13, HE AND
SOME FRIENDS BEGAN VAPING IN
MIDDLE SCHOOL. LATER THEY MOVED
ON TO CANNABIS, A VERY COMMON
OCCURRENCE WITH TEENS THESE
DAYS. AS A FAMILY, WE
INTERVENED. WE PUT BETTER
GUARDRAILS IN PLACE. IT TURNED
OUT THAT ALEX HAD ATTENTION
DEFICIT CHALLENGES THAT SURFACED
DURING PUBERTY AND HE WAS
STRUGGLING. WE MET WITH A
PSYCHOLOGIST AND HIS TEACHERS,
AND WE WERE MAKING PROGRESS. AND
THEN ALONG CAME COVID 19. WITH
THE LOCKDOWNS, MANY OF THE
CHANNELS NEEDED TO HELP ALEX AND
OTHERS WERE PLACED ON HOLD. IN
MAY OF 2020, ALEX CELEBRATED HIS
FINAL BIRTHDAY. SUMMER BREAK
BEGAN AND WHEN HE WASN'T MEETING
WITH HIS FRIENDS AT THE STRIP
MALL, HE WAS MEETING UP WITH
THEM ON SNAPCHAT. WE LATER
LEARNED THAT ALEX AND HIS
FRIENDS WERE BEING CONNECTED BY
THIS POPULAR AND TRUSTED SOCIAL
MEDIA APP, SNAPCHAT, TO MEET
WITH DRUG DEALERS AS WELL. HE
WAS QUICKLY GROOMED BY THESE
DEALERS AND STARTED TRYING WHAT
HE BELIEVED WAS OXYCODONE. I
QUICKLY RECOGNIZED SOMETHING WAS
OFF ABOUT HIM AND I ASKED HIM IF
HE WAS USING SOMETHING. AT FIRST
HIS RESPONSE WAS NO. BUT THEN
ABOUT 36 HOURS LATER, ALEX CAME
BACK TO HIS FATHER AND I AND
EXPLAINED WHAT HAD BEEN GOING
ON. HE TOLD US ABOUT OXYCODONE
AND HE CRIED ABOUT IT, HAVING A
HOLD ON HIM. HE TOLD US HE MET
WITH A DEALER ON SNAPCHAT. WE
CONTACTED A BEHAVIORAL CLINIC TO
ASSIST US. THEY NEEDED TO GET
BACK TO US WITH THEIR
RECOMMENDATION. THE NEXT DAY, HE
SPENT TIME WITH HIS DAD. THEY
WENT OUT TO LUNCH. HE WENT AND
HUNG OUT WITH FRIENDS. HE CAME
HOME LATER THAT EVENING, WENT TO
HIS ROOM, AND THAT WAS THE LAST
TIME I SAW HIM ALIVE. THE NEXT
MORNING I FOUND ALEX, PALE BLUE
AND LIFELESS, LYING ON HIS
BEANBAG CHAIR. HIS DAD PERFORMED
CPR WHILE HE SPOKE WITH THE 911
OPERATOR AND LOOKED AFTER MY
DAUGHTER. I BELIEVE IT HAD BEEN
MAYBE TEN DAYS FROM ALEXANDER'S
FIRST PILL TO THE DAY THAT HE
DIED. WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW
THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED SO
FAST, UNTIL LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEARCHED ALEX'S ROOM AND FOUND A
LITTLE JAR WITH A COUPLE OF FAKE
OXYCODONE PILLS THAT TESTED
POSITIVE FOR FENTANYL. THIS IS
HOW I LEARNED ABOUT THE ILLICIT
FENTANYL CRISIS IN THE NEW DRUG
LANDSCAPE. TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
WHAT HAPPENED, WE BEGAN MEETING
WITH HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, LAW
ENFORCEMENT, ATTORNEYS, YOU NAME
IT. I TALKED TO EVERY SUBJECT
MATTER. MATTER EXPERT. YOU CAN
THINK OF. AND WHEN IT CAME TIME
TO CREATE OUR PRESENTATIONS,
SOMETHING WAS MISSING. AND THAT
WAS THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE. AND
SO AFTER THAT, WE STARTED
MEETING WITH YOUTH ON A REGULAR
BASIS STARTING IN NOVEMBER OF
2020. AT ALEX'S FUNERAL, WE
BEGAN MAKING PLANS, MAKING PLEAS
TO FAMILIES TO CATCH UP WITH THE
NEW PARADIGM. THERE WAS A LOT OF
UNFORTUNATE LESSONS TO BE
LEARNED FROM ALEXANDER'S
EXPERIENCE, AND WE DID NOT WANT
ANYONE TO LEARN THE WAY THAT WE
DID. THAT'S WHY WE BEGAN THE
ALEXANDER NEVILLE FOUNDATION,
AND WE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO
EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE
CURRENT DRUG CRISIS AND SOCIAL
MEDIA HARMS. WE SERVE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE
HAVE SEEN OVER WE HAVE SERVED
OVER 300,000 PEOPLE IN THE LAST
THREE YEARS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
THE LESSONS THAT I BRING WITH ME
TO FAMILIES, SCHOOLS AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS ARE YOUTH
INFORMED. I DO NOT CREATE
ANYTHING WITHOUT INPUT AND YOUTH
APPROVAL. THEY ARE ON THE FRONT
LINES OF THESE CO-OCCURRING
FENTANYL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
CRISIS. AND THERE IS A LOT THAT
WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM. MOST
ADULTS TODAY GREW UP AT A TIME
WHEN TEEN DRUG EXPERIMENTATION
DID NOT END WITH DEATH. MOST
PARENTS AND TEACHERS DO NOT
REALIZE ILLICIT FENTANYL IS IN
ALL DRUGS. NOW. MOST PARENTS AND
TEACHERS DO NOT REALIZE HOW
ACCESSIBLE AND TEMPTING
PLATFORMS LIKE SNAPCHAT HAVE
MADE. THESE DANGERS. HOW CAN
THEY TEACH THEIR CHILDREN THIS
KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT HAVING IT
THEMSELVES? THAT SITUATION HAS
HELPED MAKE YOUNG PEOPLE THE
MOST VULNERABLE TO THIS
EPIDEMIC. MOST YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
CONSUME OR OVERDOSE ON ILLICIT
FENTANYL HAVE NO IDEA THAT THEY
HAVE INGESTED IT. THEY BOUGHT
OXYCODONE, XANAX, ADDERALL OR
SOMETHING ELSE TO HELP
ILLUSTRATE THAT PROBLEM. WE
BEGAN REFERRING TO THESE VICTIMS
AS BEING POISONED FOR USERS NOT
INTENDING TO PURCHASE OR CONSUME
ILLICIT FENTANYL, THIS IS A
FATAL BETRAYAL THAT IS AKIN TO
THE ISSUE OF PURPOSELY TAINTED
FOOD OR MEDICINE. TODAY, ILLICIT
FENTANYL IS CLUMSILY MIXED INTO
COCAINE, METHAMPHETAMINES, OR
PROCESSED TO LOOK LIKE FDA
APPROVED DRUGS. THOSE WHO DON'T
KNOW BETTER ARE BEING DECEIVED
TO DEATH. MEANWHILE, THOSE WHO
KNOW ARE PLAYING RUSSIAN
ROULETTE. THIS IS REFERRED TO AS
I SAID AS FENTANYL POISONING BY
REFERRING TO ALEX'S DEATH AS A
POISONING, IT HELPS OVERCOME
STIGMA AND OPENS DOORS TO A
CONVERSATION. IF I SAY OVERDOSE.
I MET WITH PARENTS WHO THINK
THEY DO NOT NEED TO LISTEN
BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A DRUG
PROBLEM IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD. WHEN
I SAY POISONED PARENTS WANT TO
KNOW MORE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE
ARE CONDITIONED FROM THE TIME WE
ARE GOING TO HAVE THESE BABIES
IN OUR HOMES TO PREVENT A
POISONING. AND WHAT TO DO IN THE
EVENT OF A POISONING. THE SECOND
LESSON IS THE UNDENIABLE LINK
BETWEEN ILLICIT DRUGS AND SOCIAL
MEDIA COMPANIES LIKE SNAPCHAT.
WELL, IT IS ILLEGAL TO ADVERTISE
AND TRANSACT DRUGS ONLINE. IT IS
STILL WIDESPREAD AND THEY KNOW
IT. TODAY'S SOCIAL MEDIA
COMPANIES HAVE BECOME THE
PROVERBIAL LAST MILE FOR DRUG
DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS. SOCIAL
MEDIA IN PARTICULAR. SNAPCHAT IS
THE MOST EFFICIENT MEANS FOR
SOLICITING AND OBTAINING NEW
CLIENTS, ESPECIALLY YOUTH. AS I
BRING THESE LESSONS TO FAMILIES,
SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS, IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT WE OVERCOME THE
STIGMA AROUND SUBSTANCE MISUSE.
I DO NOT ADVOCATE THAT WE JUST
ACCEPT SUBSTANCE MISUSE, BUT WE
MUST ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT
LARGE PROPORTIONS OF AMERICANS
HAVE TRIED OR REGULARLY USED
DRUGS. NOT ONLY DO THE STUDIES
SUPPORT THE PERVASIVENESS OF
DRUGS, BUT THE OVERWHELMING
NUMBER OF DRUG POISONINGS AND
DEATHS SHOW THAT THE WALLS OF
DENIAL ONLY MAKE MATTERS WORSE.
THE OPERATIONS DELIVERING
ILLICIT SUBSTANCE TO OUR LOVED
ONES HAVE NOT STOPPED BECAUSE
OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE SO MANY
OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
REFUSE TO ADMIT OR ACCEPT THAT
THERE IS A DRUG PROBLEM.
INSTEAD, THE STIGMA KEEPS
FAMILIES IGNORANT AND BLAMES THE
VICTIMS. TODAY, STIGMA IS ALSO
KEEPING NALOXONE OUT OF THE
HANDS OF YOUTH, FAMILIES AND
SCHOOLS AS OVERDOSES AND DRUG
POISONING DEATHS BEGIN TO HAUNT
MORE AMERICAN FAMILIES, IT
BECOMES APPARENT THAT THIS
PROBLEM HAS BECOME ENDEMIC IN
THE SAME WAY THAT HEART DISEASE
OR OTHER HEALTH ISSUES ARE. THAT
IS WHY I ADVOCATE FOR THE
DISTRIBUTION OF NALOXONE IN
FIRST AID KITS. IN THE SAME WAY
WE DISTRIBUTE AEDS, NALOXONE
SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN SCHOOLS,
AIRPLANES, AND ALL MANNER OF
PUBLIC SPACES. IN FACT, I'M A
HUGE PROPONENT FOR GETTING IT
INTO THE HANDS OF OUR YOUTH.
AGAIN, IT'S THE YOUNGEST
AMERICANS THAT ARE THE MOST
VULNERABLE AND NEED
PRIORITIZATION. YOUTH, PARENTS,
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS ARE ON
THE FRONT LINES. ESSENTIALLY,
THEY ARE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TO
THESE POISONINGS AND OVERDOSES.
THEY ARE OUR KEY CHANGE MAKERS
THAT WILL BUILD A HEALTHIER AND
SAFER FUTURE. AS I CLOSE, I NEED
TO REITERATE THAT WE DON'T HAVE
TO ACCEPT DRUG USE AS A NORMAL,
AS NORMAL. INSTEAD, WE MUST
ACCEPT THAT DRUG MISUSE IS NOT
GOING AWAY. BUT WE CAN HALT THE
DEATHS AND ADDICTION VIA
EDUCATION AWARENESS NALOXONE.
AND LIKE THEO SAID, ALL FORMS OF
NALOXONE AND DESTIGMATIZATION.
THE LAST THING I WISH TO SHARE
IS THAT IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY WANT THE
TRUTH AND WE NEED. THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO GIVE
THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, MISS NEVILLE. I'M SO SORRY
FOR YOUR LOSS AND THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING ALEXANDER TO THE ROOM
AND HIS SPIRIT AND SHARING. MORE
ABOUT HIM WITH US AS WELL. AND
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL
YOUNG PERSON HE WAS. AND YOUR
COMMITMENT TO SAVE LIVES IS
INSPIRING AND GREATLY APPRECIATE
YOUR LEADERSHIP IN YOU BEING
HERE WITH US TODAY. MISS SEAMUS,
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY SON
TYLER DIED AT 19, IN 2018. SO
I'VE BEEN AT THIS A REALLY LONG
TIME. HE DIED FROM FENTANYL
POISONING AFTER DEALING WITH
ADDICTION FOR THREE YEARS. HIS
WAS NOT A CASE OF TRYING ONE
PILL AND DYING AND MORE PEOPLE
NEED TO START BEING HONEST ABOUT
THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ADDICTION
OR WILL NEVER GET RID OF THE
STIGMA. TYLER HAD MILD
ASPERGER'S AND BAD ADD A LITTLE
SPECK OF DUST WOULD DISTRACT HIM
FROM WHEN HE WAS YOUNG. HE WOULD
THRILL SEEK WHETHER IT WAS
CLIMBING THE TALLEST TREE, BEING
UP ON OUR ROOF, OR DOING
FIREWORK SHOWS TO COMPENSATE FOR
THE DOPAMINE. HE WAS LACKING, HE
STARTED SMOKING WEED AT AROUND
14 TO SELF-MEDICATE FOR ANXIETY
AND TO CALM HIS MIND. AFTER A
WHILE IT STOPPED WORKING, SO HE
STARTED USING HARDER AND HARDER
DRUGS, OFTEN TO EMULATE RAPPERS
THAT HE SAW ON TV OR SOCIAL
MEDIA. WE HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH
ADDICTION, SO WE TURNED TO
EXPERTS AND DID EVERYTHING THEY
ADVISED WHICH INCLUDING SPEND
SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS ON WILDERNESS
PROGRAMS, A THERAPEUTIC BOARDING
SCHOOL, RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT,
DETOX AND MULTIPLE SOBER
LIVINGS. BUT WE NEVER TRIED. WAS
MEDICATED ASSISTED TREATMENT
BECAUSE THE SOBER LIVING DIDN'T
ALLOW IT. AND DIDN'T ENCOURAGE
IT. MY FAMILY FORMED THE
NONPROFIT CALLED DRUG AWARENESS
FOUNDATION AND WE, LIKE MANY
OTHER BEREAVED PARENTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, SPEAK AT SCHOOLS,
PARENT GROUPS, RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES,
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND TOWN HALLS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BASICALLY
ANYWHERE THAT WILL HAVE US AND
WE DO IT FOR FREE. WHEN WE TALK
TO HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE
STUDENTS, WE TELL THEM THAT NO
MATTER HOW MANY FENTANYL DEATH
STORIES WE TELL THEM ABOUT, SOME
OF THEM ARE GOING TO CHOOSE TO
TRY DRUGS BECAUSE THEY THINK IT
WON'T HAPPEN TO THEM. FOR THEM,
WE EXPLAIN HOW TO MAKE IT SAFER
BY USING FENTANYL TEST STRIPS
CORRECTLY, HAVING NALOXONE ON
HAND AND NEVER USING A LOAN.
SINCE YOU CANNOT NARCAN YOURSELF,
WE ALSO TELL THEM WHERE TO GET
THE NALOXONE AND TESTING STRIPS,
AND SOMETIMES ARRANGE FOR AND
OVERDOSE TO COME TO THE SCHOOL
TO TRAIN STAFF AND STUDENTS. IN
APRIL OF 2021, I ASKED THE LA
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH TO DO AN OUTDOOR MEDIA
CAMPAIGN WARNING THE PUBLIC
ABOUT THE DANGERS OF FENTANYL,
POISON DRUGS. THEY DECLINED,
SAYING THAT THEIR CAMPAIGNS TOOK
TWO YEARS TO PLAN AND THAT METH
WAS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DRUG
DEATHS IN LA. THAT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN TRUE, BUT METH USERS KNOW
IT'S DANGEROUS AND PEOPLE BUYING
PILLS ONLINE OR ON THE STREETS
ARE NOT ALWAYS AWARE THAT THEIR
DRUGS CAN CONTAIN FENTANYL. I
RAISE MONEY FROM FRIENDS AND
FAMILY AND GOT MY OWN
BILLBOARDS, STREET LEVEL
POSTINGS, AND BUS ADS PUT UP
AROUND THE CITY, AND I DID IT
WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO
IT'S DEFINITELY DOABLE.
RECENTLY, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
DID START A WONDERFUL OUTDOOR
MEDIA CAMPAIGN IN THE BEGINNING
OF 2021. I TRIED IN VAIN TO GET
L.A. UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO
ADD TWO LESSON PLANS ABOUT
FENTANYL POISON DRUGS TO THEIR
CURRICULUM. IT WAS OFFERED FOR
FREE FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN
OREGON. THEY DECLINED AT THE
TIME, BUT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022
DID START TO ALLOW TEACHERS WHO
WANTED TO USE APPROVED OUTSIDE
RESOURCES ON FENTANYL, ALTHOUGH
AS OF APRIL OF 2023, MANY OF THE
STUDENTS STILL HAD NOT BEEN
TAUGHT ANYTHING ABOUT FENTANYL.
AND THAT'S IN MY MIND, IS
NEGLIGENT. THE MOST RESPONSIVE
PERSON WAS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR
AT L.A. UNIFIED IN JANUARY OF
2022. I SPOKE TO HER ABOUT
GETTING NALOXONE IN ALL THE
SCHOOLS. SHE STARTED WORKING ON
IT, BUT WASN'T ABLE TO HAVE THE
MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL POLICE
TO HAVE IT IN THEIR CARS UNTIL
MAY. FINALLY, EIGHT MONTHS
LATER, IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, THEY
STARTED WRITING UP THEIR NARCAN
POLICY TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN IT
FROM THE STATE AND GET IT INTO
SOME SCHOOLS FOR A PILOT
PROGRAM. MELANIE RAMOS DIED FROM
FENTANYL POISONING IN THE
BATHROOM OF HER HIGH SCHOOL ON
SEPTEMBER 13TH. ON SEPTEMBER
22ND, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT ALL
LAUSD SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE
NALOXONE ON CAMPUSES. THIS SHOWS
ME THAT WHEN A DISTRICT WANTS TO
GET SOMETHING DONE QUICKLY,
THEY'RE ABLE TO CUT THROUGH THE
RED TAPE AND DO SO. IT'S REALLY
IN MY MIND, JUST UNCONSCIONABLE
THAT IT TAKES SO LONG TO GET
THINGS DONE. IN JANUARY OF 2022,
I ALSO TRIED TO GET UCLA TO HAVE
NALOXONE IN ALL OF THEIR DORMS
AND TO TALK ABOUT FENTANYL
POISON DRUGS AT THEIR FRESHMAN
ORIENTATION. THEY FORMED A
COMMITTEE WITH THE OTHER UC
SCHOOLS, BUT BY SEPTEMBER,
NOTHING HAD BEEN DECIDED. AND
I'M STILL NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE
IT IN ALL THE DORMS AND IF
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT AT
THEIR ORIENTATIONS. THE REASON
I'M MENTIONING THIS IS NOT TO
TOOT MY OWN HORN OR TO THROW
ANYONE UNDER THE BUS, BUT TO
SHOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET
THINGS IMPLEMENTED IN PUBLIC
INSTITUTIONS. I CAN'T HELP BUT
WONDER HOW MANY LIVES COULD HAVE
BEEN SAVED IF THE PUBLIC HAD
BEEN MADE AWARE EARLIER.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WILL BE
ANOTHER HORRIBLE NEW DRUG ON
AROUND ONE DAY, SOONER RATHER
THAN LATER, AND WE MUST FIGURE
OUT A WAY TO GET THE INFORMATION
TO THE PUBLIC MORE QUICKLY. AND
WITHOUT ALL THE RED TAPE, THE
MOST EFFECTIVE AND SURPRISINGLY
DIDN'T TAKE THAT LONG THING THAT
I WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WAS
GETTING SB 864. TYLER'S LAW
PASSED IN CALIFORNIA. AND SOME
OF YOU HERE, I THINK, EVEN VOTED
FOR IT. IT SAYS THAT WHENEVER A
CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL ORDERS A
STANDARD FIVE PANEL TOX SCREEN,
THEY NEED TO ADD A SEPARATE
FENTANYL TEST TO DO IT. IT CAME
ABOUT BECAUSE THE NIGHT BEFORE
TYLER DIED, HE WAS TAKEN TO THE
ER FOR A SUSPECTED OVERDOSE. ALL
HIS TOX SCREENS CAME OUT
NEGATIVE. WHEN I GOT THERE, I
ASKED THE TREATING DOCTOR THREE
TIMES IF THEY TESTED HIM FOR
EVERYTHING, INCLUDING FENTANYL.
IT WAS 2018, AND I HAD JUST
STARTED HEARING ABOUT FENTANYL,
SO I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT.
THE DOCTOR ASSURED ME THAT THEIR
STANDARD FIVE PANEL TOX SCREEN
WOULD SHOW FENTANYL IF IT WAS IN
HIS SYSTEM, BECAUSE IT TESTS FOR
OPIOIDS. BUT WE LATER FOUND OUT
THAT THE DOCTOR WAS MISINFORMED
BECAUSE FENTANYL IS A SYNTHETIC
OPIOID. IT DOESN'T SHOW ON A
STANDARD OPIOID TEST. TYLER DIED
THE NEXT DAY IN THE BATHROOM OF
A SOBER LIVING, AND HAD WE KNOWN
HE WAS USING AGAIN, WE WOULD
HAVE SENT HIM TO A HIGHER LEVEL
OF CARE, LIKE A DETOX OR
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT. THE LAW
WENT INTO EFFECT IN CALIFORNIA
ON JANUARY 1ST OF 2023, AND I
WAS ABLE TO GET A SIMILAR
VERSION INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE
AND SENATE. AND IT'S ACTUALLY
SPONSORED BY OUR VERY OWN TED
LIU AND CINDY KAMLAGER, JUST
LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE I
MENTIONED, IT'S JUST ONE TOOL OF
THE MANY THAT WE CAN USE TO TRY
TO END FENTANYL DEATHS. THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME AND FOR HAVING
THIS PANEL. THANK YOU. SHEAMUS.
AND AGAIN, SIMILARLY, I'M SO
SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS AND GRATEFUL
FOR YOUR, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
COULD NOT AGREE MORE THAT, HOW
SLOW MOVING, SO MANY,
INSTITUTIONS AND THE STATE
ITSELF AND CITIES AND COUNTIES
HAVE BEEN IN THE FACE OF, OF
THIS EPIDEMIC HAS BEEN,
INFURIATING AND WE KNOW ENOUGH
NOW MORE THAN ENOUGH TO KNOW
THAT MOVING FASTER AND GETTING
PEOPLE THE SUPPORT AND THE
INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED
QUICKER IS WHAT IS GOING TO SAVE
LIVES. AND THERE'S PLENTY OF
INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE.
THERE'S PLENTY OF WAYS THAT WE
CAN PROVIDE EDUCATION,
PREVENTION, INTERVENTION,
WHETHER IT'S NARCAN, WHETHER
IT'S TRAININGS, WHETHER IT'S
ACCESS TO CARE OR TREATMENT, ALL
OF THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE MUCH
MORE ACCESSIBLE. AND, AND, AND
REALLY COMPREHENSIVE, I WANT TO
OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES, MR.
KALRA, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU
KNOW, THAT'S, IT'S NOT EASY TO
HEAR, BUT YOU BOTH HAVE TO SAY.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT
THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT FOR US
TO HEAR IT. AND I COMMEND, I
COMMEND YOU FOR TAKING A
TRAGEDY. AND, USING THAT ENERGY
TO, TO SAVE LIVES. AND I KNOW,
YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR AND OTHERS
IN OUR LEGISLATURE HAVE DONE
WORK IN THIS SPACE, PARTICULARLY
IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW,
EDUCATION IN TERMS OF ENSURING
THAT NARCAN IS AVAILABLE, WHAT
HAVE YOU. BUT THAT ALL STARTS
WITH THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE
DOING IN, IN PUSHING US AND
EDUCATING US. AND YOU KNOW, YOU
THINK ABOUT ALL THE, THE YOUNG
PEOPLE AND EVEN IN SITUATIONS
WHERE THERE IS A RELATIVELY
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WHERE THEY
FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING TO THEIR
PARENTS, AND YOU CAN ONLY
IMAGINE ALL THOSE THAT DON'T
FEEL COMFORTABLE AND EITHER WAY,
IT'S SUCH A DIFFICULT SITUATION
TO BE IN. BUT YOU KNOW, AS WE
WERE TALKING TO THE EARLIER, THE
COUPLE OF FOLKS WHO WERE IN THE
PANEL EARLIER ABOUT HOW TO REACH
YOUTH, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO
GO TO YOUR PARENTS OR TO YOUR
DOCTOR OR YOUR TEACHER IS
WONDERFUL. AND THEN ON TOP OF
THAT, HAVING THESE OTHER
MECHANISMS AGAIN, THAT, THAT PUT
THE FRAMEWORK IN THAT LOOK,
YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE
THE ABILITY TO RESPOND IF YOU'RE
IN AND PUT IT IN A TRAGIC
SITUATION. I REALLY LIKE THE
FRAMING OF POISONING, ESPECIALLY
WHEN TALKING TO PARENTS, BECAUSE,
I THINK ALL OF US CAN BE IN THAT
SENSE OF UNDERSTANDABLE DELUSION
WHERE IT'S LIKE, NO, IT CAN'T BE
MY KID, OR IT CAN'T BE MY
BROTHER OR SISTER. AND LET'S GET
REAL FIRST OF ALL, BUT ALSO
LET'S FRAME IT IN A WAY THAT,
LOOK, IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER YOU
OR YOUR CHILD IS DOING SOMETHING
WRONG. IT'S ABOUT SAVING THEIR
LIVES AND PUTTING PEOPLE IN A IN
A POSITION TO DO THAT. AND YES,
LET'S WORK ON PREVENTION. LET'S
WORK ON ALL THESE OTHER
MECHANISMS. BUT LET'S ALSO BE
REAL ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON
THE GROUND AND SO I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING IT US
PUTTING US IN THAT MINDSET,
BASED UPON TRAGEDIES YOU'VE GONE
THROUGH AND YOU, YOU'VE
COMMUNICATED WITH IN TERMS OF
WHAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER, AND
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH
FOR THAT. I THINK IT REALLY
HELPS ME PERSONALLY KIND OF PUT
MY MIND IN THE PROPER FRAMEWORK
TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES, AND
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT AS LONG AS
YOU'RE OUT THERE, CONTINUE TO
ADVOCATE FOR LEGISLATION,
CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR US TO
DO BETTER THAN I CERTAINLY FEEL
MORE MOTIVATED, TO DO JUST THAT.
SO THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU.
MR. PATTERSON. GREAT. THANK YOU,
WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
BOTH BEING HERE TODAY, VERY
SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. AND, AS
MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES KNOW HERE,
YOU KNOW, THE FIRST I EVER HEARD
OF FENTANYL WAS WHEN ONE OF MY
NEIGHBORS PASSED AWAY. ZACH
DIDIER, AND SO I HAPPEN TO BE
MAYOR OF MY TOWN AT THAT
PARTICULAR TIME. AND, YOU KNOW,
LEARNED ABOUT IT. AND SO SINCE
THAT TIME AUTHORED A LOT OF
LEGISLATION ON THE TOPIC. AND I
THINK ACTUALLY, SUPERINTENDENT
THURMAN MENTIONED ONE OF MY
BILLS, THE PARENTAL NOTIFICATION
IN SCHOOLS. AND I WAS VERY
EXCITED WHEN I WAS REGISTERING
ALL FOUR OF MY KIDS TO SEE THE
NOTIFICATION IN THERE. BECAUSE,
LOOK, AS A PARENT, WE'RE NOT
GOING TO READ A LOT OF THESE
NOTIFICATIONS HONESTLY. BUT I
ALWAYS FIGURED WITH 6 MILLION
KIDS, IF ONLY 1% OF PARENTS READ
IT, THAT'S 60,000 PARENTS WHO
WILL BECOME EDUCATED ON IT. SO
MOST INDIVIDUALS THAT I'VE MET,
INCLUDING MY COUSIN, PASSED AWAY
FROM FENTANYL AS WELL. IS, YOU
KNOW, NONE OF THE PARENTS REALLY
KNEW ABOUT THIS AT ALL AT THE
TIME. AND, SO I WANTED TO SAY I,
YOU KNOW, I'M WITH YOU ON, YOU
KNOW, AND IF YOU EVER HAVE IDEAS
THAT WE CAN DO AS A STATE, YOU
KNOW, I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN
IN HEARING ABOUT THOSE, I
AUTHORED LEGISLATION. WE HAVE A
COUPLE OF THE JOINT AUTHORS UP
HERE IN THE PAST TO REQUIRE
SCHOOLS TO CARRY IT,
UNFORTUNATELY, IT HASN'T MADE IT
THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT I THINK
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THERE HAVE
ALSO BEEN EFFORTS TO GET
COLLEGES TO HAVE IT AS WELL.
NALOXONE. THAT IS WHAT I'M
TALKING ABOUT, SO AND I THINK,
YOU KNOW, THE WHEELS OF
GOVERNMENT ARE VERY SLOW, BUT
THIS PROBLEM IS EVOLVING
RAPIDLY, AND WE'RE SEEING MORE,
MORE THINGS IN THAT. BUT I THINK
AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONE THING
THAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS
WE'D LOVE TO KNOW, IS, YOU KNOW,
REALLY JUST THE EDUCATION OF HOW
WE EDUCATE KIDS IN PARTICULAR. I
THINK KIDS WILL ALWAYS GO OUT
AND MAKE MISTAKES AND EXPERIMENT
AND THINGS LIKE THAT. MY 11 AND
NINE YEAR OLD KNOW ALREADY, YOU
KNOW, NOT TO TAKE THINGS FROM
PEOPLE YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A
SAD STATE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I
THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
THEM TO KNOW THAT. AND SO I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO
SAY NOW, IT COULD BE LATER, BUT
IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCRETE IDEAS
ON HOW WE EDUCATE, YOU KNOW,
KIDS MORE, I'M REALLY
INTERESTED. I WILL TELL YOU
WHAT'S WORKED HISTORICALLY, LIKE
WITH TOBACCO AND DRINKING IS WE
HIT HIM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND
THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO START
HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S GOING TO LOOK A
LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE
TALKED TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH
SCHOOLERS ABOUT. AND SO THAT'S
THAT'S A HUGE FOCUS FOR US,
ESPECIALLY GOING INTO THIS NEXT
YEAR. I THINK ALSO KIDS NEED TO
HEAR IT FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES.
SO THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM
TEACHERS, FROM PARENTS, FROM
THEIR PEDIATRICIANS, FROM FROM
THEIR FRIENDS, THE MORE MORE
THEY PLACES THEY HEAR FROM, THE
MORE IT WILL SINK IN. SO ON THE
EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, IN CLASS OR
WHATNOT. YOU KNOW, WHEN I GREW
UP, WE HAD DARE. AND I DON'T
KNOW, FOR SOME REASON, DARE HAS
BEEN LIKE DRAGGED THROUGH THE
MUD OR I DON'T REALLY FULLY
UNDERSTAND WHY, BUT FOR ME, I
THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A PRETTY
USEFUL PROGRAM GROWING UP. AND I
THINK, YOU KNOW, I AGREE. I
MEAN, IF THAT'S SOMETHING AND
MULTIPLE SOURCES, I MEAN, I
THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BE
TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S
NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING
OUT TO SMOKE MARIJUANA OR
SOMETHING AND YOU'LL WAKE UP THE
NEXT DAY FEELING GROGGY. I MEAN,
THIS IS A DIFFERENT WORLD WE
LIVE IN. SO, YES, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR. PATTERSON. WELL, FIRST
OF ALL, TOUCH US DEEPLY WITH
YOUR STORIES AS A DAD. THREE,
THREE KIDS AND FOUR GRANDKIDS
AND HAVING BEEN LEGISLATING IN
THIS SPACE AND ADVOCATING SINCE
I'VE WAS ELECTED. AND WHAT HAS
TOUCHED ME ABOUT WHAT YOU DO IS
THAT, YES, YOU LOVED YOUR
CHILDREN DEEPLY. BUT YOU ARE
HERE TODAY. LOVING OTHER
CHILDREN. TO HELP IN ANY WAY WE
CAN. TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHERS
STAY SAFE, I ECHO MY, THE OTHER
PATTERSON UP HERE ABOUT IF
THERE'S IDEAS OR CONCEPTS, WE
WANT TO HEAR THEM. WE WANT TO
MOVE FROM JUST HEARING,
LISTENING AND KNOWING TO ACTING.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A STRONG
CONSENSUS UP HERE THAT WE WANT
TO PUT INTO LEGISLATION
SOLUTIONS THAT WE KNOW HAVE
WORKED AND WE KNOW WILL BE
EFFECTIVE, AND WE WILL BE
TARGETING AND COMMUNICATING WITH
WITH THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE
COMMUNICATING WITH MOM AND DAD,
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS TALKING
EARLIER ABOUT THE FORT, FRESNO,
THE FENTANYL OVERDOSE RESCUE
TEAMS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER IN
FRESNO COUNTY. WE HAVE PARENTS
WHO LOST THEIR KIDS
PARTICIPATING IN IT. AND SEEING
THAT THE LOSS OF THEIR CHILD HAS
BURDENED THEIR HEART FOR OTHER
CHILDREN. AND THAT IS AN ACT OF
LOVE, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF YOUR
PAIN. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE. WE'RE LISTENING. AND AS I
SAID EARLIER, WE WANT TO ACT,
AND I HOPE THAT THIS COMMITTEE
WILL COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT
THAT WE'RE HERE TO DO MORE THAN
LISTEN, AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE 3
OR 4 GOOD LEGISLATIVE IDEAS THAT
MAYBE WE CAN PASS ON TO OTHER
MEMBERS TO IN THE NEXT SESSION.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND
THANK YOU BEING A PART OF THIS.
WE'RE SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. BUT GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR LOVE OF OTHERS, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU. FOR MY COLLEAGUES
FOR, FOR THEIR POINTS IN, IN.
ABSOLUTELY. I TOOK A NUMBER OF
NOTES FROM FROM BOTH OF WHAT YOU
BOTH SHARED IN TERMS OF WHERE WE
SHOULD BE FOCUSING HERE. I
WANTED TO ASK ONE QUESTION AS WE
OUR LAST PANEL THAT'S GOING TO
COME UP NEXT IS, IS, FOCUSED ON,
ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S BEEN A BIT OF, A THEME IN
ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS HERE,
BOTH IN TERMS OF THE WAY IN
WHICH THESE DRUGS ARE BEING
ACCESSED THROUGH THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA AND ONLINE AND ALSO THE
WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN USE, WHERE,
WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE OFTEN
ONLINE AND ON THESE, IN THESE
VARIOUS, SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AS A
WAY TO, TO ENGAGE IN EDUCATION
AND PREVENTION, HAVE YOU ALL,
FOUND MUCH OF A RECEPTION FROM
ANY OF THESE COMPANIES
THEMSELVES OR ATTEMPTED TO, TO
ENGAGE WITH THEM? AND HOW DOES
HOW DO YOUR EFFORTS OBVIOUSLY,
WE'VE WE'VE SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT
SCHOOLS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
SCHOOLS, WHICH IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT PART OF IT, AND SOME
OF THE OTHER PLACES THAT WE'RE
MEETING FOLKS. BUT WHAT DO YOU
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN TERMS OF
HOW TO MEET PEOPLE ON, ENGAGE
WITH FOLKS ONLINE AND ALSO
ACTUALLY STOP THE SELLING
ONLINE? THERE'S SO MUCH OF IT
THAT IT, IT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW,
A HUGE BREACH IN THE DAM THAT
HOW DO YOU HOW DO WE PATCH THAT
UP? HOW DO WE GO BACK, YOU KNOW,
IT'S THAT'S WHY I THINK
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS IS SO,
SO IMPORTANT. WE HAVE TO REDUCE
DEMAND. WE HAVE TO PUT THESE
PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS BY NOT
SEEKING OUT THEIR THINGS RIGHT,
OR ENGAGING WITH THEM IN THESE
CONVERSATIONS. BECAUSE WHEN I
TALK TO YOUTH, A COUPLE OF
INTERESTING THINGS THAT I
LEARNED RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.
NUMBER ONE IS THAT, OH, WE'RE
DESENSITIZED TO IT BECAUSE
MEDICATIONS AND ALL AROUND
SOCIETAL THINGS. SO IT SEEMS
SAFER THAN GOING AFTER MARIJUANA
OR SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE IT'S A
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION AND
THEY'RE BEING ADVERTISED THAT
WAY. SO THAT'S ONE THING. THE
OTHER THING WAS THE WHOLE
GROOMING PROCESS I LEARNED FROM
THESE KIDDOS THIS THEY'RE NOT
YOU KNOW, THEY HAD NO INTENTIONS
OF TRYING DRUGS OR BUT THIS DRUG
DEALER BECAME FRIENDS WITH THEM
AND SNAPCHAT OR WHEREVER AND
BECOMES FRIENDS WITH THEM, TELLS
THEM HOW FUNNY AND SMART AND
TALENTED THEY ARE. AND OUR KIDS
ARE VULNERABLE, RIGHT? BECAUSE
THEY WANT TO BE TREATED MORE
GROWN UP AT THIS TIME IN THEIR
LIFE AND THEY FALL FOR IT. AND
SO, YOU KNOW, 25 INTERACTIONS
LATER. SO I SEE YOU HAVE A LOT
OF CLOUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS. YOU
YOU SEEM TO HAVE A LOT GOING FOR
YOURSELF. THEN THEY'LL START TO
OFFER THEM THINGS. AND THEY
THINK THIS PERSON'S A FRIEND AND
HAS THEIR BEST INTEREST AT
HEART, AND THEY WILL TAKE THEM
UP ON IT. ANOTHER DISTURBING
TREND THAT HAS COME UP RECENTLY
IS, YOU KNOW, A KID PUTS IT OUT
ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAVING A BAD
DAY. MY DOG DIED. I'M SO SAD.
DRUG DEALER SLIDES RIGHT INTO
THE DIRECT MESSAGES AND SAYS, I
SEE YOU'RE FEELING REALLY SAD.
WHAT'S GOING ON? THE KID TELLS
THEM, MY DOG DIED. I'VE HAD THAT
DOG SINCE I WAS BORN. I CAN'T,
CAN'T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT THEM.
AND THE DRUG DEALER SAYS, OH
YEAH, I REMEMBER HOW SAD I WAS
WHEN MY DOG DIED. YOU KNOW, I
HAVE SOMETHING THAT'LL HELP WITH
THAT LOW DECISION MAKING
MOMENTS. CAN LEAD TO SOME REALLY
BAD OUTCOMES. AND THEN, YOU
KNOW, WE HAD A WE WERE PART OF A
MEETING MYSELF AND MANY OTHER
ABOUT 13 OTHER PARENTS WERE PART
OF A MEETING IN SPRING OF 2021
WITH SNAPCHAT. LONG STORY SHORT,
IT WAS SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
WE HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS SUCH A
PROBLEM, WHICH WAS A WHICH WAS A
LIE BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE THIS
BEING WARNED IN THE MEDIA
STARTING IN EARLY AS 2017, AND
THEY CHOSE TO DO NOTHING ABOUT
IT. SO I'M AT A POINT IN MY
ADVOCACY WORK THAT I CANNOT
BELIEVE A WORD THAT THEY TELL US,
AND I CAN'T TRUST ANYBODY ELSE
THAT CHOOSES TO WORK WITH THEM.
THAT'S WELL, THAT'S AWFUL. AND
UNACCEPTABLE. AND WE WE'VE, YOU
KNOW, I THINK WITH THIS
COMMITTEE, WE WANT TO FIND MORE
WAYS TO, THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO
ENGAGE OR ADDRESS THESE ISSUES
THEMSELVES TO FORCE THEM TO.
WELL, THEY'RE WILLING TO ENGAGE
THERE. BUT AFTER THIS, YOU'LL
PROBABLY GET A PHONE CALL FROM
SNAPCHAT WANTING TO MEET WITH
YOU SO THEY CAN TELL YOU HOW
WONDERFUL THEY ARE. I WOULD NOT
BE SURPRISED. AT SOME TIME NEXT
WEEK YOU GET THAT CALL. IF YOU
HAVEN'T HAD IT ALREADY. YEAH
MISS ORTEGA. I APOLOGIZE FOR
WALKING IN LATE, WE HAVE
MULTIPLE THINGS HAPPENING AT
ONCE, BUT THIS IS A CRITICAL
ISSUE FOR ME, SOMETHING THAT
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE I GOT
TO THE LEGISLATURE. AND FIRST
AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO SAY, YOU
KNOW, OF COURSE, SORRY FOR YOUR
INCREDIBLE LOSS AS A MOTHER. I
CAN'T EVEN FATHOM THE IDEA OF
LOSING MY CHILD OVERNIGHT, WITH
SUCH A SMALL AMOUNT, OF
SOMETHING THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN
KNOW THEY WERE TAKING. AND
THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW,
WITH OTHERS HERE JUST
CHAMPIONING THIS ISSUE AND
WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE NOT
ONLY DO WE, YOU KNOW, EDUCATE
OUR YOUTH AND OUR PARENTS, BUT
THAT WE ACTUALLY START HAVING A
CONVERSATION ON ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THIS ISSUE WITH THE SOCIAL
MEDIA COMPANIES, IT'S SOMETHING
THAT I'VE HEARD AS I SIT ON
PRIVACY, I SIT ON LABOR. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE. WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT PRIVACY, AND
CONSUMERS. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING
ABOUT HOLDING PEOPLE
ACCOUNTABLE. AND ACTUALLY, SOME
OF THESE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES
THAT ARE CREATING THIS SPACE
THAT WE'RE LIVING IN, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS IN ONE OF THESE ROOMS
WHERE I THINK ABOUT THIS
SENTENCE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, AND
IT'S THE DRUG DEALERS OF TODAY
ARE NOT SELLING DRUGS ON THE
STREET OR ON A STREET CORNER.
THEY ARE SELLING THEM ON OUR
SOCIAL MEDIA SITES. AND AS A
LEGISLATOR, IT IS MY
RESPONSIBILITY AND DUTY TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO ASK
QUESTIONS, DEMAND TRANSPARENCY,
AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HOLD
SOME PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. THANK
YOU. I AGREE WITH YOU. IT'S
GOING TO TAKE LAWSUITS AND
LEGISLATION TO REALLY CREATE
THAT. THAT TYPE OF CHANGE. AND
THE PEOPLE OUT THERE DOING THE
WORK ARE THE IMPACTED FAMILIES
ON THESE, AND WE NEED CRITICAL
MASS TO MAKE THESE CHANGES. BUT
RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA, THE
CALIFORNIA AGE APPROPRIATE
DESIGN CODE PASS WAS SIGNED ON.
GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S DESK. AND, OF
COURSE, NETCHOICE, WHO IS FUNDED
BY BIG TECH, IS SUING ON BEHALF
OF THEM TO SAYING THEY SAID THEY
PUBLICLY STATED THAT, THAT THIS
BILL WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE HARM
TO THESE COMPANIES. THEY CLEARLY
DO NOT KNOW WHAT IRREPARABLE
HARM LOOKS LIKE. I CAN SHOW THEM
I HAVE AN URN IN ALEXANDER'S
BEDROOM THAT CAN CLEARLY
ILLUSTRATE WHAT IRREPARABLE HARM
IS. SO WE ARE UP AGAINST A LOT
OF MONEY, AND A LOT OF RESOURCES
ON THEIR SIDE. SO IT'S A VERY
IT'S A IT'S A BIG MOUNTAIN TO
MOVE. RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE
CHIP AWAY AT IT EVERY SINGLE
DAY. BUT WE DO NEED HELP. I, I,
I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER
IS, BUT I WORK WORK LOCAL AND
NATIONAL LEVELS FOR THIS. LIKE
YOU PROBABLY HEARD, THE KIDS
ONLINE SAFETY ACT JUST PASSED
THE US SENATE. WE'RE NOW WORKING
ON THE HOUSE. AND SO IT'S A LONG
ROAD. BUT THAT IS ONE ONE THING
THAT WE HAVE AND WE HAVE TO WE
JUST HAVE TO I THINK WE HAVE TO
HAVE MORE STAMINA THAN THEY DO
OR HELP HOPEFULLY FIGURE OUT HOW
TO GET THEM TO RUN OUT OF MONEY.
WELL, AGAIN, I WANT TO ECHO MY
GRATITUDE TO BOTH OF YOU. I KNOW
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH YOU BOTH TO LEARN, BUT ALSO
TO TAKE ACTION AND, JUST, YOU
KNOW, SO MUCH APPRECIATION AND,
AND, AND AGAIN, I'M SO SORRY
ABOUT THE LOSS OF, OF ALEXANDER
AND TYLER AND DEEPLY
APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE WORK
THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING TO SAVE
THE LIVES OF SO MANY YOUNG
PEOPLE. OUR LAST PANEL IS GOING
TO BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA NEXT. SO
WE'LL, WE'LL WE'LL BRING THEM UP
AND, AND HOPEFULLY, CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION THAT WE STARTED
HERE AROUND, ACCOUNTABILITY AND
PREVENTION. THANK YOU. I'M GOING
TO BRING OUR LAST PANEL UP. AND
I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME
VIRTUAL ELEMENT TO THIS, WHICH
IS ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND OVERDOSES.
AND, PREVENTION AND
ACCOUNTABILITY, WE HAVE DOCTOR
LAURA MARQUEZ GARRETT, SENIOR
COUNSEL AT THE SOCIAL MEDIA
VICTIMS LAW CENTER, AND DOCTOR
MEREDITH GANSNER, INSTRUCTOR OF
PSYCHIATRY AT THE HARVARD
MEDICAL SCHOOL. AND, THEY BOTH
VIRTUAL OR OR THEY'RE BOTH
VIRTUAL. OKAY I'VE NEVER SEEN,
DOCTOR, I'M HOPING YOU ALL OKAY.
I'M HOPING YOU ALL OKAY. DOCTOR
MARQUEZ. GARRETT, WHENEVER
YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN PLEASE
BEGIN. YES, AND YOU ALL CAN HEAR
ME. OKAY YES, YES WE CAN. WE CAN
HEAR YOU AND SEE YOU ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER
CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
AS A PARENT AND AN ADVOCATE, I
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME HERE
TODAY AND FOR HAVING THESE
DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS, MY NAME
IS LARA MARQUEZ. GARRETT I'M
SENIOR COUNSEL AT THE SOCIAL
MEDIA VICTIMS LAW CENTER. WE ARE
A SMALL WASHINGTON STATE LAW
FIRM FORMED AT THE END OF 2021
TO REPRESENT CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES HARMED BY SOCIAL MEDIA
PRODUCTS. WHO KNEW THAT JUST A
YEAR LATER, WE WOULD BE VERSED
NOT ONLY ON ISSUES OF GENERAL
SOCIAL MEDIA HARMS, ANXIETY,
DEPRESSION, ADDICTION,
EXPLOITATION AND OTHERS, BUT
ALSO ON THE DEATHS OF AMERICAN
CHILDREN BY FENTANYL POISONING
AT HISTORIC RATES. THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN, ENOUGH
THAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE
IS A THERE ARE FINDINGS TO THE
EFFECT THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN
PUT AT A STRATEGIC DISADVANTAGE
BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF
CHILDREN WHO ARE DYING, AND YET
IT'S STILL HAPPENING. NOW, WHAT
IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS CRISIS
IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
OUR NATION'S HISTORY, CHILDREN'S
TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE DYING
AT THE SAME, IF NOT GREATER,
RATES THAN THEIR ADULT
COUNTERPARTS, NOW, IN 2022, I
MET AMY NEVILLE. WHO SPOKE JUST
A MOMENT AGO, AND EIGHT OTHER
FAMILIES WHO HAD LOST THEIR
CHILDREN TO FENTANYL POISONING,
THROUGH SNAPCHAT, MAYBE THIS IS
JUST A SOCIAL MEDIA ISSUE. THE
LEGAL COMMUNITY THOUGHT, OUR
ESTEEMED CO-COUNSEL, CA
GOLDBERG, THOUGHT DIFFERENT. WE
INVESTIGATED, WE RESEARCHED THE
ISSUE. WE MET WITH THOSE
FAMILIES AND MANY, MANY OTHERS.
WE MET WITH MEMBERS OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND EXPERTS IN THE
FIELDS OF TECHNOLOGY AND DRUGS.
IN OCTOBER 2022, WE FILED OUR
FIRST FENTANYL RELATED COMPLAINT
AGAINST SNAPCHAT. NOW, AT THE
TIME, WE HAD BEEN RETAINED BY
TEN FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR
CHILDREN TO FENTANYL POISONING
AS I SIT HERE TODAY, LESS THAN
TWO YEARS LATER, AS VLC HAS BEEN
RETAINED BY MORE THAN 160
FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR CHILDREN
TO FENTANYL POISONING VIA SOCIAL
MEDIA, THAT NUMBER GOES UP EVERY
WEEK, SOMETIMES EVERY DAY. THESE
ARE CHILDREN RANGING IN AGE FROM
13 TO 23 YEARS OLD IN ALMOST
EVERY INSTANCE, I THINK THERE
MAY BE FOUR EXCEPTIONS. THE
SNAPCHAT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM
WAS INVOLVED IN EVERY INSTANCE
THE FENTANYL WAS BEING
DISTRIBUTED IN THE FORM OF
COUNTERFEIT OR LACED DRUGS. FOR
EXAMPLE, A PILL PRESSED TO LOOK
LIKE PERCOCET OR XANAX. EVEN
MARIJUANA, AND IN EVERY
INSTANCE, THESE WERE CHILDREN
WHO HAD NO HISTORY OF DRUG USE
PRIOR TO NGUYEN, THEIR SOCIAL
MEDIA USE BEGAN. IN FACT, WHAT I
HEAR OVER AND OVER FROM YOUNG
PEOPLE GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS
I WAS TEN OR 12 OR 14. I WANTED
A SNAPCHAT BECAUSE OF THE SILLY
FILTERS ALL MY FRIENDS WERE
USING IT, I WANTED TO BE
POPULAR. I'D NEVER HEARD OF
MARIJUANA, OR I'D HEARD OF IT,
BUT HAD NO INTEREST AND THEN
SNAPCHAT STARTED SENDING ME
VIDEOS OF OTHER KIDS SMOKING. IT
LOOKED COOL, IT LOOKED FUN. IT
LOOKED NORMAL, THEN SNAPCHAT
STARTED SENDING ME QUICK ADS.
THESE ARE THE AI DRIVEN USER
RECOMMENDATIONS. SO THEN
SNAPCHAT STARTED SENDING ME
QUICK ADS FOR PLUGS, WHICH IS A
TERM FOR DRUG DEALERS. SNAPCHAT
SAID THESE WERE MY FRIENDS. IT
GAVE ME POINTS WHEN I SENT
MESSAGES. IT MADE ME FEEL LIKED.
IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I FIT IN. I
WAS A KID I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
AND SNAPCHAT MADE IT SEEM SAFE
AND FUN. I HEAR THIS AGAIN OVER
AND OVER, I WANT TO GIVE ONE
OTHER BRIEF EXAMPLE, WHICH IS IN
2023, AN ADULT SNAPCHAT USER
SEARCHED FOR A FEW COMMON DRUG
TERMS TO SEE IF SNAP WOULD
DIVERT HIM TO ITS PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT, WHICH IS WHAT
SNAPCHAT SAID IT WAS DOING. HE
HAD USED SNAPCHAT FOR EIGHT
YEARS AND HAD NEVER SEEN A DRUG
MENU, AND HAD NEVER BEEN
CONNECTED WITH A DRUG DEALER.
WITHIN 24 HOURS AFTER RUNNING
THIS SEARCH LOOKING FOR PSA'S, A
DEALER MESSAGED HIM WITH A DRUG
MENU. THIS CERTAINLY SUGGESTS
THAT HIS SIMPLE SEARCH FOR SAU
RESULTED IN SNAPCHAT PUSHING OUT
HIS DATA TO DRUG DEALERS. THIS
IS HOW THESE PRODUCTS ARE
DESIGNED AND PROGRAMED NOW.
DEATH BY FENTANYL POISONING. IT
IS NOT SOMETHING THESE CHILDREN
ARE SEEKING OUT. IT IS WHERE
SNAPCHAT TAKES THEM BECAUSE
ENGAGEMENT EQUALS REVENUE. SO
I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL THE
COMMITTEE THE DEATH OF AMERICAN
CHILDREN BY FENTANYL POISONING.
IT'S NOT JUST SOMEONE ELSE'S
PROBLEM. IT'S NOT EVEN JUST AN
INTERNET OR SOCIAL MEDIA
PROBLEM. IT IS AN EPIDEMIC TO
WHICH SNAPCHAT HAS CONTRIBUTED
MORE THAN EVERY OTHER SOCIAL
MEDIA PLATFORM PUT TOGETHER. BUT
THERE'S A SILVER LINING. THIS
MEANS IT'S A PROBLEM THAT YOU
AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA CAN
DO SOMETHING ABOUT, BECAUSE
CALIFORNIA IS WHERE COMPANIES
LIKE SNAPCHAT LIVE, THERE ARE
COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES TO
LEGISLATE FOR THE SAFETY OF
CALIFORNIA'S CHILDREN AND TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE RATE OF
FENTANYL DEATHS NATIONWIDE.
THESE AREN'T EVEN EXTREME
EXAMPLES IN OTHER INDUSTRIES.
THEY WOULD BE EXPECTED, FOR
EXAMPLE, IF A COMPANY KNOWS THE
DRUGS ARE BEING MARKETED AND
SOLD, WHETHER BECAUSE OF
AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY OR POLICE
OR USER REPORTS, THEY SHOULD
TAKE THOSE ACCOUNTS DOWN. THEY
SHOULD PROVIDE A18 HUNDRED
NUMBER FOR REPORTING AND
CONSEQUENCES FOR COMPANIES THAT
IGNORE THE REPORTS. THEY SHOULD
HAVE EFFECTIVE IN-APP REPORTING
MECHANISMS REQUIRING THEM TO
PROVIDE A RECEIPT AND RESPOND
WITHIN SET TIMES. I CANNOT TELL
YOU HOW MANY OF THE DRUG DEALERS
IN THESE CASES KEPT DEALING,
EVEN AFTER BEING REPORTED TO
SNAPCHAT, INCLUDING BY POLICE,
WHEN POLICE SAID, HEY, THIS THIS
INDIVIDUAL WE BELIEVE IS DEALING
DRUGS ON YOUR APP, SNAPCHAT LEFT
THOSE ACCOUNTS UP AND THOSE
DEALERS KILLED MORE CHILDREN,
INCLUDING IN AMY NEVILLE'S CASE,
LEGISLATION COULD REQUIRE THESE
COMPANIES TO STOP DESIGNING
THEIR SYSTEMS TO DESTROY
EVIDENCE ON THE BACK END. THAT
IS NOT USER PRIVACY. THAT IS
WHAT ENRON DID IN 2002. IT'S
CALLED OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE,
IF A PLATFORM DISTRIBUTES TO
PERSONS UNDER 18, THEY SHOULD BE
PRESERVING THAT DATA FOR 6 OR 12
MONTHS, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE
ADEQUATE STAFF SO THEY CAN
RESPOND TO LAW ENFORCEMENT IN A
TIMELY AND REASONABLE MANNER.
AGAIN, WE SHOULDN'T NEED LAWS
FOR THIS, BUT APPARENTLY WE DO,
SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES ALSO
COLLECT DEVICE ID. THAT'S LIKE A
FINGERPRINT FOR YOUR PHONE, FOR
YOUR COMPUTER. EVERY DEVICE HAS
ONE. EVERY TIME A USER LOGS ON,
THEY COLLECT THAT INFORMATION.
IF THEY WANTED TO, THEY COULD
BLOCK BY DEVICE. SO IF SOMEONE
USES A PHONE TO DEAL DRUGS, THAT
PHONE SHOULD BE OUT OF
CIRCULATION INSTEAD OF WHAT
HAPPENS NOW, WHICH IS THEY OPEN
TEN MORE ACCOUNTS ON THE SAME
DEVICE, LASTLY, THEY COULD STOP
RECOMMENDING STRANGERS TO KIDS,
STOP TELLING CHILDREN THEY KNOW
THESE PEOPLE, PUSHING THEM TO
CONNECT, GIVING THEM POINTS TO
MEET UP WITH STRANGERS,
LITERALLY DRAWING MAPS TO FIND
THEM, I UNDERSTAND THAT JUST
SHUTTING DOWN ONE PLATFORM IS
NOT AN OPTION, EVEN THOUGH WE
WOULD SEE RESULTS QUICKLY. BUT
THERE ARE COUNTLESS OTHER WAYS
WE CAN PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM
THESE HARMS. I HOPE THAT THIS
COMMITTEE WILL CONSIDER EVERY
ONE OF THEM AND FAST, BECAUSE
OUR CHILDREN ARE FACING AN
UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS AND THEY
NEED OUR HELP. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. AND I HOPE, YOU CAN
STAY WITH US OR WE'RE GOING TO
DO BOTH VIRTUAL. OKAY, GREAT.
SO, YES, WE'RE WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE, OUR NEXT, PRESENTER WHO
WILL ALSO BE VIRTUAL DOCTOR
MEREDITH GANSNER, WHO'S AN
INSTRUCTOR OF PSYCHIATRY AT
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL. HELLO.
CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES OKAY.
WONDERFUL, THANK YOU FOR THAT
INTRODUCTION, MY NAME IS
MEREDITH GANSNER. I AM A
PSYCHIATRIST AT CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL IN BOSTON. BUT I AM
ALSO A RESEARCHER IN HIGH RISK
DIGITAL MEDIA USE, PARTICULARLY
IN ADOLESCENTS WHO HAVE A
HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS,
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ASKED TO
TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT WHAT IS
SUCH A PRESSING TOPIC, IN
TODAY'S SOCIETY AND SOCIETY'S
RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA
IN PARTICULAR, I'VE SPENT THE
LAST 11 YEARS STUDYING HOW
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS CAN BE
IMPACTFUL TO THE MENTAL HEALTH
OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS, PARTICULARLY
CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHO
HAVE PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS. AND
WHILE MY SPECIFIC AREA OF
INTEREST IS A RELATIVELY NEW
ONE, THE MECHANISMS BY WHICH
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS HAVE BEEN
INFLUENCING BEHAVIOR ARE NOT
NEW. IN FACT, THESE MECHANISMS
HAVE LONG BEEN KNOWN. LONG
BEFORE WE KNEW ABOUT INSTAGRAM
AND YOUTUBE, WE KNOW THAT IF
TEENAGERS BELIEVE ALL THEIR
FRIENDS ARE ENGAGING IN AN
ACTIVITY, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO
PARTICIPATE IN THAT ACTIVITY.
AND SIMILARLY, WE KNOW THAT IF
TEENS GET THE IMPRESSION THAT
THEY SHOULD BE ENGAGING IN A
PARTICULAR ACTIVITY, THEY'RE
ALSO MORE LIKELY TO TAKE PART.
THE SO-CALLED PROCESS OF SOCIAL
CONTAGION IS INCREDIBLY
CHALLENGING FOR TEENAGERS TO
RESIST, AND SOCIAL MEDIA
ALGORITHMS APPEAR TO REINFORCE
THIS PROCESS. THESE ALGORITHMS
FALSELY SHRINK THE DIVERSITY OF
ONLINE CONTENT THAT IS AVAILABLE
TO AN INDIVIDUAL, GIVING USERS
THE IMPRESSION THAT SOME HIGH
RISK BEHAVIORS DISORDERED
EATING, CUTTING,
NON-PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE ARE
ALL MORE THE NORM THAN THEY
ACTUALLY ARE. HOWEVER, DESPITE
OUR RELATIVELY STRONG
UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESSES
THAT INFLUENCE YOUTH DECISION
MAKING, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO
FIND THE PROVERBIAL SMOKING GUN
THAT PROVES SOCIAL MEDIA'S ROLE
IN TEEN DRUG USE AND UP UNTIL
RECENTLY, OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT
OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S SOCIAL MEDIA
USE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, AND
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FADE OUT
OF POPULARITY FASTER THAN WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STUDY THEM.
RESEARCHERS SUCH AS MYSELF HAVE
BEEN COLLECTING WHAT EVIDENCE WE
CAN TO HIGHLIGHT OUR CONCERNS
ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND DRUG USE,
AND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
TWO. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY OF US
HAVE FOUND THAT THE OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF ADOLESCENTS AND
YOUNG YOUNG ADULTS REPORT SEEING
DRUG RELATED CONTENT ONLINE, AND
ONE RECENT STUDY, I PERFORMED
EVERY SINGLE YOUTH IN A SURVEY
OF ALMOST 500 YOUTH AROUND THE
UNITED STATES, SAID THAT THEY
HAD SEEN DRUG RELATED CONTENT
ONLINE, AND NEARLY ONE THIRD OF
THEM REPORTED SEEING THAT
CONTENT. A MAJORITY OF THE TIME
WHEN THEY WERE ONLINE. AND THESE
EXPOSURES CAN HAPPEN FAST. AND A
SEPARATE STUDY. OVER 70% OF OUR
YOUTH PARTICIPANTS ENCOUNTERED
DRUG RELATED CONTENT AT LEAST
ONCE DURING A SINGLE SIX WEEK
PERIOD. MY RESEARCH ALSO
SUGGESTS THAT CERTAIN PLATFORMS
ARE HIGHER RISK THAN OTHERS.
TRACKING INSTANCES OF DRUG USE
AND DAILY SOCIAL MEDIA USE IN A
SAMPLE OF ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG
ADULTS IN MASSACHUSETTS, OUR
STUDY PARTICIPANTS WERE
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO
REPORT BOTH DRUG RELATED CONTENT
EXPOSURES AND SUBSTANCE USE.
WHEN SNAPCHAT WAS ONE OF THEIR
MOST FREQUENTLY USED
APPLICATIONS. WHILE THESE
FINDINGS CANNOT OFFER
INCONTROVERTIBLE PROOF THAT
SNAPCHAT CAUSED THE DRUG USE,
THEY INDICATE THAT SPECIFIC
PLATFORMS MERIT A GREATER DEGREE
OF SCRUTINY, PARTICULARLY IN
LIGHT OF MOUNTING ANECDOTAL
EVIDENCE CONNECTING SNAPCHAT AND
FENTANYL POISONINGS. SO IMAGINE
YOU ARE A GEN Z TEENAGER
STRUGGLING WITH THE SYMPTOMS OF
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. AND JUST
LIKE SO MANY OF YOUR PEERS,
YOU'VE LEARNED TO TURN TO SOCIAL
MEDIA PLATFORMS AS A WAY TO
DISTRACT YOURSELF FROM YOUR
SYMPTOMS AND TO SEEK SUPPORT
FROM OTHERS. YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
FEEDS PORTRAY DRUG USE IN A
POSITIVE LIGHT, WHETHER FROM
YOUR FRIENDS OR CELEBRITY
INFLUENCERS SHOWING USE OF DRUGS
AS A FUN ACTIVITY OR A WAY TO
ESCAPE FROM YOUR SYMPTOMS, YOUR
BRIEF ENGAGEMENT WITH DRUG
RELATED CONTENT LEADS TO EVEN
MORE CONTENT RECOMMENDATIONS
FEATURING DRUG USE, WHICH THEN
FUELS THE DISTORTED PERCEPTION
THAT DRUG USE IS ACTUALLY THE
NORM. THUS, WHEN YOU EVENTUALLY
GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS
DRUGS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU
MAY HAVE BEEN DIGITALLY PRIMED
TO GO THROUGH WITH WITH SUCH AN
IMPULSIVE TRANSACTION,
PARTICULARLY IF YOU'VE BEEN
ENCOURAGED TO DO SO BY A PERSON
ONLINE WHO CLAIMED TO BE YOUR
FRIEND. AND IF THE PILL YOU
PURCHASE HAPPENS TO BE TAINTED
WITH FENTANYL, THEN THAT SINGLE
IMPULSIVE DECISION CAN PROVE
DEADLY. AS A SOCIETY, WE NEED TO
DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF HOW EXACTLY LOOSELY REGULATED
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT IMPACTS THE
WAY THAT TEENAGERS PERCEIVE THE
WORLD AROUND THEM. AS A
PHYSICIAN WHO ROUTINELY SEES THE
TRAGIC OUTCOMES OF TEENS WHO
HAVE PARTICIPATED IN ONLINE
DARES ENGAGE WITH ONLINE
STRANGERS AND BUY DRUGS ONLINE.
WE AREN'T DOING ENOUGH. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
WORK AND FOR THE PRESENTATION. I
WANTED TO ASK, IF THERE ARE ANY
EXAMPLES THAT THAT YOU SEE, I
KNOW BOTH OF YOU ARE WORKING ON
THIS ISSUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND IF THERE'S ANY EXAMPLES OF
STATES THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING
LAWS THAT ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS
THIS OR EVEN WHAT THIS LOOKS
LIKE INTERNATIONALLY, IF WE'RE
SEEING ANY EXAMPLES, SOMETIMES,
WE LOOK TO WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES
ARE DOING FIRST, AND
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO
REGULATING TECHNOLOGY. BUT I
WOULD AGREE THAT CALIFORNIA
CERTAINLY HAS A HUGE
RESPONSIBILITY HERE, AND THAT IF
WE WERE TO TAKE THE LEAD ON
THIS, THAT IT WOULD HAVE RIPPLE
EFFECTS. BUT I WONDER IF THERE'S
ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE SEEING,
THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING
TOWARDS AS, AS EXAMPLES OF, OF
THE TYPE OF REGULATION THAT
SHOULD BE IN PLACE, SO I WILL
SAY, YOU KNOW, AT A HIGH LEVEL,
LEGISLATION LIKE COSA OR THE
DESIGN CODES WILL, WILL IMPACT
THIS, RIGHT? I MEAN, THEY THEY
WILL IMPACT SORT OF THE
ADDICTIVENESS OF THESE
PLATFORMS, THEY WILL ALSO IMPACT
THINGS MORE BROADLY WHERE THE
PLATFORMS NØ IN FACT, COSA
INCLUDES A SPECIFIC DRUG
MARKETING PROVISION IN IT. SO I
DO THINK THAT THE LEGISLATION
THAT'S BEING PUSHED FORWARD
RIGHT NOW, WILL TO SOME DEGREE
IMPACT THIS. I DON'T I'M NOT
FAMILIAR WITH ANY STATES THAT
HAVE SPECIFICALLY TARGETED THE
ISSUE OF FENTANYL POISONING AND
INTERNATIONALLY, UNFORTUNATELY,
I THINK IT'S ALMOST THE
OPPOSITE, WHERE I'VE HAD PEOPLE
REACH OUT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE CONCERNED
THIS IS GOING TO START HAPPENING
HERE. REALLY. THE US HAS BEEN
HIT THE HARDEST WITH THE ON
FENTANYL POISONING AT THIS
POINT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE. SO IT IS
IT IS FAIRLY UNIQUE TO THE US AT
THIS POINT, THOUGH I KNOW THERE
ARE AT LEAST A COUPLE OTHER
COUNTRIES THAT ARE JUST STARTING
TO SEE THIS PROBLEM. AND YOU
MENTIONED AN ACRONYM THAT I
WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH AND A
DESIGN CODES. IS THAT FEDERAL
LEGISLATION OR IS THAT REFERENCE
TO THE LEGISLATION, LEGISLATION
THAT WE HAVE HERE AROUND DESIGN
CODES? THAT'S CORRECT. SO
CALIFORNIA, I BELIEVE MARYLAND
JUST PASSED ONE, NEW YORK HAS
PASSED SOME STUFF, BUT IN
CALIFORNIA, MARYLAND, IT'S THE
IT'S A DESIGN CODE, A STATE
LEVEL, AND THEN COSA OR CCPA, IF
YOU WILL, IS FEDERAL LEVEL AND
THAT PASSED OR THAT'S BEEN
PROPOSED. THE FEDERAL ONE THE
FEDERAL ONE PASSED 91 THREE IN
THE SENATE. AND NOW IT IS GOING
TO THE HOUSE AND HOPEFULLY IT
WILL PASS IN THE HOUSE AS WELL.
GREAT. AND THAT AND IF YOU COULD
HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD
WHAT WOULD BE THE SPECIFIC IF
THAT WERE TO PASS THE
CONSEQUENCES OF THAT FOR, FOR
SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE. YEAH. SO
THAT'S THE KIDS ONLINE SAFETY
ACT, AND AS I MENTIONED A MOMENT
AGO, THERE'S EVEN A PROVISION IN
THERE THAT TALKS ABOUT, DRUG
MARKETING. SO, YOU KNOW, THE
PLATFORMS HAVE DUTIES NOT TO
DESIGN PRODUCTS, TO SORT OF TAKE
REASONABLE CARE, I BELIEVE, IS
THE LANGUAGE TO NOT DESIGN
PRODUCTS THAT WILL THAT WILL
HARM CHILDREN, INCLUDING DRUG
MARKETING, ON THEIR PLATFORM. IT
IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO FENTANYL
POISONING, THOUGH. AND SO AT THE
END WHEN I SPOKE, I MENTIONED A
COUPLE OF VERY SORT OF FENTANYL
SPECIFIC ISSUES. WHEN YOU GET
TO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, THE
DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE ON THE
BACK END RIGHT OVER AND OVER, WE
HEAR FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE
HAVE TO GET TO SNAPCHAT VERY,
VERY QUICKLY. AND EVEN THEN,
WHEN WE SERVE A WARRANT, IT'S
VERY UNUSUAL THAT WE GET BACK
SUBSTANTIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN
USE, BECAUSE THE WAY THE
PLATFORM IS DESIGNED ON THE BACK
END INCLUDES, I DON'T KNOW IF
IT'S DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE, IF
IT'S JUST NOT PRESERVING, BUT
ESSENTIALLY UNLIKE OTHER
PLATFORMS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
HANDFUL OF CASES THAT, THAT WE
HAVE THAT INVOLVED META
PLATFORMS, THOSE COMMUNICATIONS
ARE DISCOVERABLE TYPICALLY BY
LAW ENFORCEMENT. RIGHT? SO WHEN
THE WARRANT GOES OUT, THEY SEE
THE DRUG DEALER AND THE CHILD
INTERACTING WITH SNAPCHAT. IT'S
A LOT MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND
THAT EVIDENCE, SO AGAIN, NOTHING
THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THOSE TYPES
OF, OF FEATURES, PRODUCT
FEATURES. AND I KNOW THERE WAS
AN ATTEMPT ONE OF OUR, OUR
COLLEAGUES, MISS PETRIE-NORRIS,
HAD A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE
ATTEMPTED TO ADDRESS THIS FOR,
FOR SNAPCHAT, REQUIRING THEM TO
KEEP SOME OF THIS INFORMATION.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE BILL DID
NOT MOVE FORWARD. BUT I THINK,
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
TO, STAY ON. AND I THINK, AS, AS
BOTH OF YOU SAID, WHEN, WHEN,
THERE IS SUCH A PATTERN AND
REALLY, YOU KNOW, SNAPCHAT IS
SOMETHING THAT COMES UP ALL THE
TIME WHEN IT COMES TO FENTANYL
POISONING. AND IT'S CLEARLY A
THE PLATFORM OF CHOICE FOR MANY,
DRUG DEALERS WHEN IT COMES TO
FENTANYL POISONING, THAT WE HAVE
TO TAKE PARTICULAR STEPS AS IT
RELATES TO THE WAYS IN WHICH
THAT PLATFORM IN PARTICULAR IS,
IS, IS USED. AND AND IS SO
SUSCEPTIBLE TO, THIS TYPE OF
DRUG DEALING ACTIVITY THAT IS,
THAT IS NOT TRACEABLE, THAT
DOESN'T HAVE CONSEQUENCES OR
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND, AND IT'S A
HUGE, HUGE PROBLEM THAT I THINK
THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS? COMMENTS.
MR. PATTERSON? THANKS, MR.
CHAIR. I'M NOT SURE WHO WANTS TO
ANSWER THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE
TALKED A LITTLE BIT. WELL, WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY
HERE, AND I'VE SUPPORTED A LOT
OF LEGISLATION REGARDING, SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT WERE
DISCUSSED HERE IN TERMS OF PHONE
NUMBER FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU
KNOW, TIMELY RESPONSES. I'VE
SUPPORTED BILLS IN THE
LEGISLATURE TO DO THAT. I ALSO
THINK WE NEED MORE
ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE ACTUALLY PREYING ON OUR
CHILDREN, ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I
THINK WE NEED TO DO A LOT MORE
OF, BUT, YOU KNOW, I GET, I
WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
OTHER COUNTRIES, AND YOU DID.
YOU GOT CLOSE TO ANSWERING MY
QUESTION BEFORE I EVEN ASKED IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN SOME
WAYS, WE'RE UNIQUE IN THE US
BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS STUFF BEING
PRODUCED, ACROSS OUR BORDER
HERE, COMING FROM CHINA, YOU
KNOW, BEING PRODUCED IN MEXICO
AND COMING ACROSS OUR BORDER AND
THAT IS UNIQUE, I THINK, TO THE
UNITED STATES. YOU KNOW, THE DEA
SAYS IT'S ONE OF THE IT'S THE
BIGGEST THREAT WE'VE EVER HAD
IN, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE DRUG
TRADE. BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, VERY
IMPORTANT, UNIQUE, ITEM, I
WONDER IN TERMS OF OTHER
COUNTRIES IN EUROPE AND, YOU
KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA USE IS HIGH
IN OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL. ARE
THEY SEEING A LOT OF THE OTHER
ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF,
YOUTH DEPRESSION AND, AND THINGS
LIKE THAT? BECAUSE THAT WOULD
HELP ME UNDERSTAND IF SOCIAL
MEDIA REALLY IS, YOU KNOW, THE
ROOT CAUSE OF THIS. I MEAN, I
BECAUSE I THINK I'M VERY LOOK, I
THINK SOCIAL MEDIA NEEDS TO
OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME
ACCOUNTABILITY THERE. BUT I JUST
WONDER IF, IF WE'RE SEEING SOME
OF THE SAME ISSUES THERE, ARE
THERE OTHER SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN
THE UNITED STATES THAT ARE
INDEPENDENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA THAT
ARE CAUSING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF
THESE ISSUES WE'RE SEEING WITH
OUR KIDS? I MEAN, I CAN TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SORT OF
WORLDWIDE MENTAL HEALTH
IMPLICATIONS, THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC. I THINK
INTERNATIONALLY, REALLY STRAINED
MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUTH IN
PARTICULAR. EVERYWHERE THERE ARE
CERTAINLY, FACTORS THAT HAVE
BEEN WORSENING IN MANY DEVELOPED
COUNTRIES FOR EVEN EVEN BEFORE
THE PANDEMIC, FOR ABOUT A DECADE
NOW. YOUTH SUICIDE AND
DEPRESSION LEVELS HAVE BEEN
RISING FOR YEARS IN THE UNITED
STATES, BUT WE'RE NOT UNIQUE IN
THAT. AND CERTAINLY, COUNTRIES
LIKE CANADA AND AUSTRALIA,
FINLAND, JAPAN, THEY ALSO HAVE
FAIRLY HIGH SUICIDE RATES AND
HIGH LEVELS OF DEPRESSION IN
YOUTH. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,
SOMETHING BOTH THAT I'VE SEEN
ANECDOTALLY AND THAT MORE
RESEARCHERS ARE TRYING TO
CAPTURE IS MAYBE KIND OF A
DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN,
DRUG USE AND I MEAN, SORT OF
BROADLY PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE
AND, MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS IN
TERMS OF USE OF DRUGS IN
TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
SYMPTOMS. I THINK OTHER
COUNTRIES HAVE A DIFFERENT
RELATIONSHIP AT TIMES WITH DRUGS
IN THAT SENSE. AND THERE'S,
CERTAINLY BEEN AN UPTICK IN
YOUTH DURING THE PANDEMIC WHO
REALLY HAD TROUBLE COPING WITH
THEIR SYMPTOMS. AND AS I
MENTIONED IN MY TALK, GOING
ONLINE AND USING SOCIAL MEDIA AS
A WAY TO TRY AND CALL THOSE
SYMPTOMS, NOT REALLY HAVING ANY
OUTLET OUTSIDE OF THAT TO KIND
OF PROCESS THAT AND KIND OF
SEEING DRUGS AS, OKAY, WELL, YOU
KNOW, PRESCRIPTION DRUG, RIGHT.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT MARIJUANA. IT'S
NOT SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW,
MORE ILLICIT, THAT WILL MAKE ME
FEEL BETTER. RIGHT? THAT WILL
HELP BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S
NEEDED. THAT'S WHAT HELPS WHEN
YOU HAVE PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW
THAT THAT THAT RISK IS SO HIGH
WITH THE RISK OF FENTANYL
POISONINGS, AND I THINK THAT THE
CONNECTION BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA
USE AND DEPRESSION AND, YOU
KNOW, THEN THAT LEADING TO
SUBSTANCE USE IS ALWAYS GOING TO
BE A MURKY ONE, AGAIN, IT'S A
REALLY CHALLENGING FROM A
RESEARCH STANDPOINT TO PROVE TO
A KIND OF CAUSAL LINK OF SOCIAL
MEDIA CAUSING DEPRESSION,
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE, AS I SAID,
MANY COUNTRIES WERE ALREADY
STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES IN THE YOUTH POPULATIONS,
BUT THERE IS THIS SORT OF
REINFORCEMENT THAT CAN HAPPEN
THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS,
RIGHT? LIKE THE LONGER
INDIVIDUALS SPEND ON SOCIAL
MEDIA PLATFORMS, THE GREATER THE
RISK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ALSO
HAVE UPTICKS AND OTHER FACTORS
OF DEPRESSION LIKE DECREASED
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND DECREASED
EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT AND POOR
SLEEP HABITS, SO THEN THAT WILL
ALSO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE RISK OF
DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, THEREBY
ALSO INCREASING RISK OF
SELF-MEDICATION AND RISK OF
PURCHASING DRUGS. I'VE CERTAINLY
SEEN MANY PATIENTS WHO HAVE SORT
OF PURCHASED DRUGS OUT OF THAT
IMPULSIVE NEED TO QUELL THOSE
SYMPTOMS RATHER THAN, AS YOU
KNOW, A FORMAL SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER THAT WE WOULD DIAGNOSE.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR
QUESTION. THANK YOU, SURE. WE'LL
TAKE ONE ONE LAST QUESTION AND
THEN WE'LL WRAP UP. I KNOW, WE
HAD A LOT MORE. WE COULD SAY ON
THIS, MISS ORTEGA. NO. NO
WORRIES. I'LL BE VERY BRIEF. I
JUST HAD A QUESTION IN TERMS OF
THE RESEARCH THAT YOU HAVE,
DOCTOR GARRETT MARQUEZ. GARRETT,
WE'VE HEARD A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF
YOUTH BEING TARGETED, LET'S SAY,
FOR EXAMPLE, MY DOG PASSED AWAY
AND, THEN DRUGS STARTED OR ADS
STARTED COMING TO YOUR FRIENDS
STARTED COMING TO YOU, DO WE
HAVE RESEARCH RELATED TO
INSTANCES OR OTHER EXAMPLES LIKE
THAT? SO IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND ACTUALLY AFTER THIS I CAN I
CAN CERTAINLY GET YOUR OFFICE.
THERE'S A STUDY THAT WAS
SUBMITTED FOR PEER REVIEW
RECENTLY OUT OF UC DAVIS, WHICH
I THINK IS SORT OF WHAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, AND I DON'T KNOW
IF ANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN DONE.
BUT THE STUDY, WHICH IS FAIRLY
RECENT, IT WAS THEY CREATED
THESE ACCOUNTS AND THEN THEY
WOULD BE ON FOR A FEW, LIKE 15
MINUTE SESSIONS. AND WHAT THEY
FOUND IS WHEN THEY POSTED EVEN
ONE THING THAT WAS INDICATIVE OF
VULNERABILITY, THE NUMBER OF
SORT OF DARK AND DEPRESSING
VIDEOS SHOT UP. RIGHT. SO THERE
IS AND AGAIN, I WILL BE HAPPY TO
GO FIND THAT IT'S OUT OF UC
DAVIS. I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY
IN 2023. IT WAS SUBMITTED FOR
PEER REVIEW, SO THAT TESTING IS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. I WILL ALSO
SAY FOR OUR OFFICES, SOCIAL
MEDIA VICTIMS LAW CENTER, WE'VE
BEEN RETAINED IN THE TWO AND A
HALF YEARS WE'VE BEEN OPEN,
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN RETAINED BY
ROUGHLY 3000 FAMILIES. AND SO,
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A SCIENTIST OR
A RESEARCHER BY BACKGROUND. I'M
AN ATTORNEY. BUT I'VE PERSONALLY
MET WITH HUNDREDS OF THESE KIDS
AND PARENTS, AND HEARD THEIR
STORIES, WHICH IS HOW A LOT OF
WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THESE
PRODUCTS, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE
THESE PATTERNS, WE SEE, WE TALK
TO THE EXPERTS, AND THEY EXPLAIN
TO US, WELL, THIS IS HOW THE
TECH IS DOING THIS, SO IN
ADDITION TO THE UC DAVIS STUDY,
WHICH I YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY,
YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY CHECK OUT
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING AND WHAT THAT
STUDY FOUND. I BELIEVE, IS. YES,
THESE PLATFORMS KNOW NOT ONLY
WHEN A CHILD IS VULNERABLE AND
THEN THEY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF
SORT OF NEGATIVE CONTENT, BUT
ALSO AGE. SO IF YOU GO ON THERE
AND SAY YOU'RE 40 YEARS OLD, BUT
YOU ACT LIKE A TEN YEAR OLD, YOU
WILL START GETTING ADS TARGETED
TO TEN YEAR OLDS, WITHIN MAYBE 2
TO 3 15 MINUTE SESSIONS, IN
ADDITION TO THAT, REALLY OUR
COMPLAINTS, YOU KNOW, AND THE
FAMILIES WE TALKED TO AND
CHILDREN AND IN FACT, WE HAVE
HUNDREDS OF CLIENTS OUT OF
CALIFORNIA THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY
TO, TO BRING OUT THERE AND MEET
WITH YOU ALL IF YOU WERE WILLING
TO TAKE SOME TIME TO SPEAK WITH
THEM AS WELL. ABSOLUTELY. THANK
YOU. I MAY. SURE. OF COURSE. I
WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT, THIS
THE RESEARCH THAT I PRESENTED
THEN KIND OF, LET IT LEND ITSELF
TO A FOUR YEAR STUDY THAT WILL
BE SPONSORED BY NIDA, WHICH IS
GOING TO BE ASKING KIDS DIRECTLY
IF THEY'RE BEING, APPROACHED BY
OTHERS ONLINE TO PURCHASE DRUGS.
AND GRANTED, IT'S AN EARLY
STUDY. STILL, WE'RE IN OUR FIRST
YEAR, SO, HAVE TO WAIT A COUPLE
OF YEARS TO GET THE OUTCOME OF
THAT. BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE
TRACKING THE AFFECT OF CONTENT
THAT KIDS POST ONLINE. SO
WHETHER IT'S SAD CONTENT VERSUS
ANGRY CONTENT AND HOW THAT
RELATES TO BEING APPROACHED
ABOUT, PURCHASING DRUGS. SO MORE
DATA FOR SURE COMING UP. WELL,
THANK YOU BOTH. SO MUCH FOR, FOR
SHARING WITH US AND FOR YOUR
WORK. I KNOW THAT ALL OF US HERE
ARE COMMITTED TO, ADDRESSING
THESE ISSUES AND AS ALL MY
COLLEAGUES SAID, THERE'S A LOT
OF OVERLAPPING, ISSUES TO BE TO
BE ADDRESSED HERE. BUT CLEARLY,
IF WHEN SOMEBODY IS ONLINE,
THEY'RE BEING BOMBARDED WITH,
OFFERS TO, TO PURCHASE DRUGS,
DRUGS THAT ARE MISREPRESENTED
AND IN SOME CASES CONTAINING
FENTANYL AND POISONING CHILDREN,
THERE'S IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE
ANYTHING MORE CONCERNING OR
INFURIATING THAN THAT. AND WE
NEED ALL OF THE TOOLS AT OUR
DISPOSAL TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE
THAT IS NOT HAPPENING, THAT
PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO USE THESE
PLATFORMS TO PREY ON OTHERS,
ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. AND WHEN
THEY DO THAT, WE HAVE THE
ABILITY TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THAT, CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. SO,
I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU
ALL ARE DOING, AND WE'RE
HOPEFUL. AND THANK THANKS TO
EVERYONE HERE WHO IS A PART OF
THOSE EFFORTS AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL THAT CAN BEGIN TO PUT SOME
STANDARDS IN PLACE, BUT I THINK
HERE IN CALIFORNIA, WE ALSO NEED
TO LEAD AS WELL, YEAH, I THINK I
THINK WE HAVE, THERE'S A IT
SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A CALIFORNIA
LAW IN PLACE THAT WOULD DO SOME
OF THESE THINGS. AND, AND THAT'S
A SORT OF A PROCESS THAT IS
ONGOING. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE EVEN
WITH THAT, IT COULD BE A
STRENGTHENED. BUT I CERTAINLY I
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WRAP UP
BECAUSE I SAID THAT THIS WOULD
BE A TWO HOUR HEARING, AND WE'RE
A LITTLE OVER NOW, BUT I DO WANT
TO OPEN IT UP FOR, PUBLIC
COMMENT IF THERE IS ANY, WE'RE
JUST TAKING, COMMENT IN THE
ROOM. IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO IS
HERE, WE CAN MOVE ON TO PUBLIC
COMMENT, AND EACH WITNESS WILL,
BE ABLE TO MAKE A SHORT
STATEMENT TO STATE THEIR NAME,
ORGANIZATION AND A BRIEF
STATEMENT ON THE ISSUE. ANYONE
WHO IS HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
ALL RIGHT, SEEING NO OTHER
PEOPLE IN THE HEARING ROOM, I
ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR OUR,
VIRTUAL PANEL AND, AND
DEFINITELY YOU HAVE, PARTNERS
HERE IN CALIFORNIA THAT WANT TO
WORK WITH YOU ON ALL OF THOSE
ISSUES THAT YOU RAISED AND
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE
THIS MORNING, WITH THAT,
COLLEAGUES, AS I SAID, THIS IS
OUR FOURTH HEARING. THIS WILL BE
THE LAST HEARING, I BELIEVE, OF
THIS YEAR FOR US, WHEN I
OUTLINED ALL OF OUR HEARINGS, I
ACTUALLY FORGOT WE DID ANOTHER
HEARING, WHICH WAS SPECIFICALLY
ON THE IMPACT OF THE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC ON, ON TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. I THINK FOR ALL OF
US, THIS IS A CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT ONE WHERE THERE'S A
LOT OF SPACE FOR US TO LEAD TO
TAKE ACTION, TO AUTHOR
LEGISLATION, TO ADVOCATE WITHIN
THE BUDGET AND TO ADVOCATE EVEN
WITH ONGOING EFFORTS THAT ARE
ALREADY IN PLACE IN CALIFORNIA,
WITH LAWS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN
PASSED. SO ALL EVERYONE HERE, WE
DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR
PARTNERSHIP AND YOUR WORK FOR
JOINING US THIS MORNING. AND I
KNOW FOR ALL OF US, WE'RE GOING
TO GET GET BACK TO WORK AND HOPE
TO HAVE A WHOLE SET OF EFFORTS
THAT WE LAUNCH TOGETHER, NEXT
YEAR IN OUR NEXT LEGISLATIVE
SESSION TO BE ABLE TO CONFRONT
THESE ISSUES. WITH THAT, AGAIN,
THANKS FOR EVERYONE FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. THANK YOU. TO MY
COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE AND
FOR COMING EARLY BEFORE SESSION
TO BE A PART OF THIS AND FOR ALL
THEIR LEADERSHIP ON ALL OF THESE
ISSUES, AND I SHOULD SAY, EVEN
AS I AS I'M TALKING ABOUT NEXT
YEAR, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
IMPORTANT BILLS IN FRONT OF US
RIGHT NOW THAT ALSO NEED TO
PASS. AND THEY'LL BE HEADING
HOPEFULLY TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK
SOON. AND SO WE ARE WE'RE GOING
TO KEEP OUR EFFORTS UP TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE DEMONSTRATE
LEADERSHIP IN THIS SESSION AS
WELL, WITH THAT, I THANK YOU ALL
SO MUCH. AND THIS COMMITTEE
MEETING IS ADJOURNED