Substance Use and Overdose
It Only Takes One
On January 31st, the First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the launch of their Fentanyl Awareness Pilot Program, ItOnlyTakesOneVA in Roanoke, Virginia. This first-of-its-kind Virginia Department of Health Initiative is being supported by the First Lady, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and the Attorney General's 'One Pill Can Kill' campaign to elevate awareness and resources to Virginians about the dangers of fentanyl poisoning.
Compounding the work that leaders in the Roanoke region have already done to combat this deadly epidemic, the @ItOnlyTakesOneVA media campaign along with the ItOnlyTakesOneVA.com website will support the mission to save lives through education.
Awareness and education are two of the best defenses against substance misuse and overdose. In Virginia, drug overdoses are the leading cause of unnatural death and have been since 2013. More Virginians die every year from overdoses than from automobile crashes. Opioids - specifically fentanyl - has been the driving force behind the large increases. Parents and caregivers are the first line of defense in protecting their child against substance use and overdose. This page provides families with information, resources, and support. Please use the information on this page to start conversations with your children on substance safety and awareness.
Resources and Information for Families
- Addiction Policy Forum Navigating Treatment and Addiction: A Guide for Families
- SAMHSA Tips for Teens Series
- Safe Driving PowerPoint for Parents to View with Teens
- Fentanyl is hurting Virginia. Get Naloxone; help save a life
- U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration & U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Healthy Students Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent's Guide to Prevention
- Information and Resources from the Governor's Office
- Superintendent's Memo
- Executive Order 28
- Virginia Department of Health: Substance Use and Recovery
- Safe and Drug Free Schools Act (SDFSCA)