Upstate woman who lost son to fentanyl wants South Carolina legislature to address the issue
Upstate woman who lost son to fentanyl wants South Carolina legislature to address the issue
Upstate woman who lost son to fentanyl wants South Carolina legislature to address the issue
Upstate woman who lost son to fentanyl wants South Carolina legislature to address the issue
Jada Smith lost her son to fentanyl in 2020. She wants state laws to change and wants people to learn more about the deadly drug.
"[It's] a powerful drug. It doesn't discriminate," Smith said.
It impacts people across gender, age, education and county lines in South Carolina — including her son.
"This [was] a boy, graduated high school, [received a] welding degree. Great job and home, money in the bank," Smith said.
It's a growing problem. in a 2020 report, SCDHEC said the drug was responsible for 1,100 overdose deaths.
"Now we're in 2023, and it's getting understood, people are hearing about it. People are talking about it," Smith said.
State lawmakers are talking about it as well. There are two bills that are going through the state house right now. Senate Bill 1 would allow law enforcement to charge someone who deals fentanyl that results in a deadly overdose with homicide, punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
There's also Senate Bill 153, which could make trafficking fentanyl a crime, like other hard drugs.
Jada says she has reached out to over 50 leaders at all levels of government in South Carolina — law enforcement, local mayors, state legislators — even Gov. Henry McMaster.
As the fentanyl conversation grows across the country, Jada hopes more people will pay attention.
"It should be talked about at the dinner table, in the living room, family meetings. I think this one's worth doing the research over," Smith said.
She wants people to make an effort to learn about more about it now.
"When it affects you, you understand it, but by then it's too late," Smith said.