**To watch the PSA featuring only Senator Capito, click here or the image above. To download the PSA video/audio, click here**
**For a PSA featuring the 13 Republican senators, including Senator Capito, click here.**
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and 12 Republican Senators released a Public Service Announcement (PSA) warning parents about the dangers of illicit fentanyl ahead of Halloween as the drug cartels have begun targeting America’s youth with rainbow fentanyl in the form of pills that look like candy and powder that looks like sidewalk chalk. The fentanyl crisis is wreaking havoc in West Virginia and communities throughout the nation and poisoning and killing Americans at record rates.
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FULL TEXT OF PSA:
“Hi, I’m Senator Shelley Moore Capito.
“I come to you today not only as a U.S. Senator, but as a fellow American concerned about the health of our nation’s youth this Halloween.
“The powerful drug cartels are coming after your kids, your neighbors, your students, your family members, and your friends.
“Fake pills laced with fentanyl are beginning to look like candy in an effort to lure young Americans.
“This is also known as, rainbow fentanyl.
“Rainbow fentanyl comes in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes, including pills, powder, and blocks that resemble sidewalk chalk.
“According to the DEA, these pills are a, ‘Deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults.’
“Even just handling these pills or powders disguised as candy can kill a person.
“All it takes is one pill, or enough powder to fit on the tip of a pencil, to poison and kill someone.
“Over the past two years, 10 TONS of fentanyl has been seized at our Southern border.
“Of course, we know much more made it across the border and into communities like yours undetected.
“We know fentanyl is in our neighborhoods because it is killing Americans at record rates – over 150 people per day.
“This is the deadliest drug our nation has ever seen.
“What’s worse is, most people don’t know fake prescription drugs like Percocet, oxycodone, Xanax, and Adderall, are being laced with fentanyl.
“Most people don’t know that drug traffickers are selling fake pills that look nearly identical to legitimate prescription medicine.
“And, most people don’t know that just one pill can kill.
“This epidemic is exploding, which is why this Halloween, let’s join forces and look out for one another.
“The way we can do this is:
“Only let kids take candy from trusted neighbors, family, and friends.
“Set a curfew for trick-or-treaters.
“Always double, and triple check, their candy for drugs, or suspiciously packaged or unpackaged items.
“And, remind kids to trick-or-treat in groups, and to check in with parents periodically.
“By working together and being on high alert this Halloween, we can help put an end to the drug traffickers that are driving addiction and poisoning our neighbors and children.”
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