As the father of Alexandra Capelouto, I have spent years raising awareness about the fentanyl poisoning crisis—a crisis that claimed the life of my daughter and countless others. Alexandra was a 20-year-old college student who made the tragic mistake of purchasing what she believed was the prescription painkiller Oxycodone. However, the pill she received was counterfeit, made with a lethal dose of fentanyl. Alexandra never had a chance. While her decision wasn’t wise, it wasn’t evil. The true evil lies with the drug dealer who profited off her life by selling a deadly counterfeit pill.
This tragedy is not isolated. Families across California and the nation are devastated by similar stories. How many more lives must be lost before we take meaningful action?
I am not driven by political party lines. I am a father who has endured unimaginable loss, like so many other parents devastated by the fentanyl crisis. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45, and California leads the nation in fentanyl deaths. These deaths are senseless and preventable. Each fentanyl death represents a failure in policy.