AUSTIN, TX — To address the growing fentanyl crisis in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has partnered with several well-known college football coaches for a new public awareness campaign.
The campaign, featuring coaches Steve Sarkisian from the University of Texas at Austin, Mike Elko of Texas A&M, Joey McGuire from Texas Tech, and Willie Fritz of the University of Houston, emphasizes the importance of the dangers of fentanyl and practicing safe habits with prescription medications.
The ads will debut during high school football games starting this Friday night, reaching students and their families.
“There is a growing danger in our communities and schools,” Abbott states in the ad. “That’s why you should only take prescription medication specifically for you and filled at a pharmacy.”
Coach Joey McGuire emphasizes the message's urgency, adding, “Just one pill kills.”
![TTU Football Head Coach Joey McGuire states "Just one pill kills." in fentanyl awareness campaign](/sites/default/files/2024-10/screenshot2024-10-04at13503pm.jpeg "TTU Football Head Coach Joey McGuire states "Just one pill kills." in fentanyl awareness campaign")
TTU Football Head Coach Joey McGuire states "Just one pill kills." in fentanyl awareness campaign.
(Credit: youtube.com/@GovGregAbbott)
In 2022, Governor Abbott declared October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in Texas, initiating a set of bipartisan laws designed to tackle the issue of fentanyl-related deaths.
House Bill 6 makes it a murder charge to supply fentanyl that results in someone's death and ensures those fatalities are classified as poisonings. Senate Bill 867 permits the distribution of NARCAN, an opioid antagonist, on college campuses to help combat overdoses.
Another critical law, House Bill 3908, also known as Tucker’s Law, requires public schools to teach students in grades 6 through 12 about preventing fentanyl abuse. This legislation is a tribute to Tucker Roe, a 19-year-old from Leander who sadly lost his life to fentanyl.
In 2022, Abbott also rolled out the “One Pill Kills” initiative across Texas, urging state agencies to ramp up public service announcements and educational campaigns about fentanyl. “Fentanyl is a hidden killer that tears apart families and leaves behind unimaginable grief,” Abbott said. “Texas is committed to finding new and effective ways to combat the fentanyl crisis and save lives.”
The urgency of this work is evident in the shocking statistics: between 2019 and 2023, fentanyl-related deaths in Texas skyrocketed over 600 percent, claiming around 7,000 lives in just four years.
However, Fentanyl test strips remain illegal in Texas, even after a bill aimed at their legalization passed in the Texas House earlier this year.
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