Editorial Page, WVPA Sharing

Laken’s Law and GameChanger: Saving lives in West Virginia  

By Jack Cipoletti

Early in the 2024 WV Legislative session, the House passed HB 5540, better known as Laken’s Law. It was signed by the Governor in March and took effect in May. It created a Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Education Act, requiring annual education of public school students in grades 6 through 12. It set forth methods of instruction and mandated a start date to begin with the 2024-2025 school year. 

It required each middle and high school, of which there are 346, to be taught about fentanyl, heroin and opioids awareness, prevention and abuse; the life-saving use of NARCAN;  prevention of the abuse of and addiction to fentanyl; available state and community resources and organizations that work to prevent and reduce youth substance abuse. 

Why was this necessary? The CDC reports teenage substance misuse and abuse is on the rise.  The number of fatalities among teens age 12 – 17 has doubled since 2020. The primary substance being misused and abused is Fentanyl. It is a powerful synthetic opioid similar to morphine, but 50 to 100 times as potent. It has a medical purpose in a controlled use, but is so life threatening that a little powder on the tip of a pencil is enough to kill an adult. 

The misuse is exacerbated by illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMFs), often designed to resemble less potent pills like Xanax, Adderall or Oxycodone. Teens think they’re taking a safe pain medication when they are actually ingesting a fatal dose of Fentanyl. 

Laken’s Law will educate our students, not only about Fentanyl, but about the counterfeits. Unfortunately, complying with the law is a challenge for schools which don’t have trained  personnel and educational materials.  

Fortunately, and in full support of the Legislature enacting Laken’s Law, GameChanger, a non profit organization, has stepped up to help schools meet the challenge at no cost with a Laken’s Law Tool Kit. It’s available to schools simply by going to www.gamechangerusa.org and clicking on either middle or high school to gain access to everything they’ll need to be in compliance with the law. To date, GameChanger has helped 147 schools comply with the mandate, educating 148,003 students. 

GameChanger is a student-powered substance misuse prevention movement focusing on building school environments that curb drug use through Student Peer Leadership Programs. The Laken’s Law Tool Kit is just one component of meeting that mission. 

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