Why Meghan's Heart?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and what I wouldn't give for just one more with you. Joanne Cacciatore once said, "There are days when your absence is the loudest silence I've ever heard."

Meghan, known as Jupiter to her friends, lived life to the fullest. I've always heard that making mistakes when young prepares us for adulthood. Unfortunately, today, some mistakes are irreversible. In the U.S. in 2020, 93,000 people died from opioid overdoses, with 70% of these deaths involving fentanyl. This epidemic is largely driven by counterfeit drugs and the fact that over 60% of all illicit drugs are laced with fentanyl. As long as there is supply, drug cartels and dealers will exploit platforms like Snapchat and Facebook to sustain and grow their market.

Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for individuals aged 18-45. Children under 14 are dying from fentanyl poisoning at an alarming rate. Between 2019 and 2021, fentanyl-related deaths among children under 1 year old quadrupled, more than tripled among those aged 1 to 4, and nearly quadrupled among those aged 5 to 14.

The risk of encountering a lethal dose is nearly 100%. It's not a question of if, but when. This risk extends to occasional users, partygoers, experimenters, addicts, and even unsuspecting bystanders who may come into contact with fentanyl. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. Due to its wide availability and low cost, it is often found in non-opioid drugs such as cocaine, MDMA, Xanax, ketamine, and even marijuana, as well as many other designer drugs.

The only solution lies in public awareness, comprehensive mental health and substance abuse programs, thorough homicide investigations, and increased accountability for platforms like Snapchat and Facebook that enable dealers to reach a vast audience.

THIS MUST STOP!