NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia Attorney General Miyares is, once again, launching the 'One Pill Can Kill' campaign, aimed at targeting the opioid epidemic and teaching familes about warnings signs and prevention.
Nickie Wheeler lost her son, Ben, about five years ago. She said he accidentally overdosed on fentanyl even though help seemed to be on the horizon.
"Ben was an amazing young man, he was a great cook. He always had a smile for anybody," Wheeler said. "He was actually supposed to be going into treatment the next day.
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Attorney General Miyares launches 'One Pill Can Kill' initiative
Wheeler offered this warning for parents.
"Parents don't realize that kids get addicted to opioids pretty easily through dental procedures through breaking an arm car accidents, sports injuries, and then, you know, they run out of medications and they take someone from a friend," Wheeler said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports nearly 2,500 Virginians died from drug overdoses in 2022, and about 1,900 cases involved fentanyl.
"It's ravaging a lot of families, it's destroying a lot of communities," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jared Forget.
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Attorney General Miyares previously called the issues a 'crisis' in the commonwealth.
"We're losing four to seven Virginians a day due to opioid and fentanyl overdoses," Miyares told News 3 in a 2023 interview. "Fentanyl is showing up in marijuana, it's showing up in heroin, but it's also showing up in fake, counterfeit Percocet pills and Xanax pills."
Special Agent in Charge Forget said it's pivotal that people stay educated.
"Seven out of every 10 pills that we come across...has a deadly amount of fentanyl, so really, one pill can kill," he said.
Watch related coverage: Mexican cartels are in Hampton Roads; 260% increase in fentanyl pills seized in 2023: DEA
The campaign Attorney General Miyares is launching is modeled after the DEA's campaign, carrying the same name. There will be commercials on air and online in addition to billboards placed around the Commonwealth. It's expected to run through October 2024.
There will also be a new, improved website that provides resources for families.
Wheeler told News 3's Jay Greene it's important for parents be involved with their childrens' lives.
"Educate yourself about what you can do, and to be open to listening to your kids struggles," Wheeler said. "Because that, you know, will help them feel comfortable."
