Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush has announced his support for the “Fentanyl Fathers and Mothers Act,” joining Assemblyman Robert Smullen and a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The proposed legislation, known as Assembly Bill A.8540, seeks to introduce a statewide Fentanyl Education, Awareness, and Recognition Program in New York’s public, charter, and private schools.
The program is designed to educate students about the dangers associated with fentanyl, counterfeit pills, and synthetic opioids. These substances have been particularly harmful to families in rural areas like those represented by Blankenbush.
Blankenbush stated that many parents in the North Country and Mohawk Valley have been caught off guard by fentanyl. He described it as “a drug so powerful and so easy to disguise that it’s claiming young lives before families even know there’s a problem.” He emphasized the importance of prevention through education: “This bill is about prevention, education, and saving lives.”
He also highlighted that this crisis affects not only urban areas but also local communities: “This is happening in our schools, our neighborhoods and our towns.” The aim is to provide students with tools to recognize danger and make informed decisions.
The bill proposes developing curriculum materials with input from the Departments of Health and Education. It also calls for equipping school personnel with lifesaving information while integrating mental health components into classroom learning.
Blankenbush expressed his commitment as both a parent and legislator: “As a parent, a legislator and someone deeply invested in the future of our region, I’m proud to support this commonsense, bipartisan proposal.”
