Drug overdose deaths have been rising in the U.S. since the 1990s, but in recent years, the number of overdose deaths related to the use of illicit fentanyl across the country has skyrocketed, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control.

In LA County, fentanyl is now the deadliest drug on the streets, causing more overdose deaths than any other substance.

On this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” host Tanya McRae looks at new legislation that has gone into effect in California to address some important issues.

Rising cases, the urgent need for intervention, and new legislation highlight the severity of the problem as the fentanyl crisis takes a toll on communities and families. 

McRae spoke with Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, who co-authored two new bills related to the fentanyl crisis. One of them is AB 701, which will complement state efforts to provide addiction treatment and rehabilitation to people who desperately need help. 

It also establishes harsher consequences for fentanyl dealers in California.

“Before this bill, and it’s hard to believe, but fentanyl was not treated with the same severity as other drug sales like cocaine or heroin which really doesn’t make a ton of sense when we’re dealing with something that is as deadly and dangerous,” said Petrie-Norris. “What AB 701 will do is apply additional enhancements for sales that are over a kilogram. And what we really want to do with this bill is target the high-level dealers, and the high level traffickers. And we want to send a message that they are not going to be able to kill our kids with impunity. There are consequences, and we need to make sure that the consequences fit the crime.”

Cheri and Steve Filson from Riverside County shared about losing their only daughter to a fentanyl overdose four years ago, and their mission to raise awareness.

“People have to understand that fentanyl changes everything. OxyContin, Xanax, Adderall, Percocet or any other type of prescription drug that’s manufactured legitimately… the cartels have created a method in which to mimic those drugs, counterfeit them and add fentanyl into the product,” says Filson.

He and his wife, Cheri, have taken on the task of raising their 7-year-old granddaughter, Elara.

In 2021, Filson and some other grieving parents created VOID, Victims of Illicit Drugs. 

Through their fentanyl awareness, advocacy work in Jessica’s honor, and the laughter that Elara has brought into their home, Steve and Cheri are slowly healing from their tragic loss. But their advice to other families: don’t think that the fentanyl crisis is someone else’s problem. 

“I had the same attitude as probably thousands of other people in our country that are suffering from the same type of circumstances. It’s never going to happen to me. And that’s the worst type of attitude people can have in this particular day and age of fentanyl. Never think it won’t happen to you, because it wasn’t supposed to happen to us.”

Another new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom will make California the first state in the country to create an alert notification system to address the crisis of missing Black children and women between the ages of 12 and 25.

California State Senator Steven Bradford authored the state’s new Ebony Alert legislation and explains why this new law was necessary.

“The majority of times, when young African Americans go missing, they’re listed as runaways, versus their white counterparts who are listed as abducted or missing. Just the data working with the black and missing foundation spoke to the need of why this bill was necessary,” he said.

Bradford says despite making up only 13% of the population, African Americans make up about 40% of the individuals who go missing on an annual basis.

“This is not just a California issue. It’s a nationwide issue. And those individuals from 12 to 25 that fit into that category, an Ebony Alert would be triggered, working with California Highway Patrol and local law enforcement, to use various media platforms and social media platforms to help notify the public of the individuals who are missing.”

Send us your thoughts to InFocusSoCal@charter.com and watch at 9 a.m. and noon Sundays.