Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed into law Thursday Senate Bill 469, aimed at combatting the fentanyl crisis.
After the bill was signed the into law, the Governor’s office shared the following in a media release:
This bill strengthens the fight against the alarming and devastating crisis that has inflicted profound harm in the Commonwealth.
“By signing this legislation, we are more resolved, more emboldened, more unified and more focused than ever before to ensure no more Virginians die as a result of this fentanyl epidemic,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “We are sending a powerful message that Virginia will take critical action against the production and distribution of this horrible poison and we will not tolerate the devastation wrought by this deadly substance.”
“We lose an average of five Virginians every day to fentanyl overdoses. The rise of counterfeit drugs and synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, continue to fuel the drug epidemic gripping the nation right now, but Virginia is fighting back. By enhancing penalties and criminalizing the possession and use of machines to produce counterfeit drugs, we are supplying law enforcement personnel with the tools they need to hold drug dealers accountable for poisoning our communities,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares.
State Senator Mark Obenshain – SB 469’s sponsor, also added the following about the legislation:
“This new law provides three avenues to get at those who are manufacturing and altering these drugs for sale. It’s going to help protect our children and save their lives. I am grateful to my colleagues in the General Assembly, both Democrat and Republican who voted in favor of this bill and I thank the Governor for signing it into law today.”
State Senator John McGuire was a chief co-patron of the legislation and shared the following statement in a release issued by his team:
“We have an overdose epidemic in the Commonwealth. I’ve served on counter-drug missions south of the border and I can tell you that a crackdown is exactly what’s needed here in Virginia. The scourge of Chinese-made, cartel-distributed fentanyl is killing Virginia kids and I’m glad we’re taking action to address it. 5 Virginians a day are dying from fentanyl overdoses and we need to act. This bill shows what we can do when we work as a team.”
McGuire – a former Navy Seal and candidate in the VA-05 congressional primary – has been an active voice in the fight to end the drug epidemic during his time serving in the General Assembly in Richmond.