ICYMI: Sen. Marshall Joins KSNT with KBI Director On Dangers of Fentanyl Crisis in Kansas

Topeka, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined KSNT with Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) Director, Tony Mattivi, to discuss Senator Marshall’s #OnePillCanKill fentanyl awareness campaign and the impact this deadly poison is having on communities across Kansas. 

You may click HERE or on the image above to view Senator Marshall’s full interview. 

Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:

On the #OnePillCanKill Fentanyl Awareness Campaign:

“Rebecca, with our students going back to school for the most part this week, last week, next week, we want to get the word out there that every parent, every teacher, every grandfather, grandmother, that they understand that one pill can kill – one fake pill laced with fentanyl can kill in an adult. And right now in Kansas, it’s easier and cheaper to get a fentanyl tablet than it is to order pizza online.”

“In addition to losing one Kansan a day, we’re also using Narcan 10 or 15 times a day. You know, I spoke with the fire department in Kansas City this week. And they said that they’re making three or four runs every day, using the Narcan out there as well. So I think the Narcan is being used much more frequently than we realize. Otherwise, we’d be losing another 10 or 20 young adults every day in the state of Kansas.”

“ I just want to emphasize again, that nobody’s immune to this, regardless of what part of the city you live from, what your last name is, how much money your parents make, that nobody is immune from this.”

KBI Director Tony Mattivi on the Fentanyl Crisis in Kansas: 

“We’re seeing right now, about twice the number of Narcan saves as we’re seeing deaths. So that means for every death that we see from a fentanyl overdose, we see two people saved by Narcan. So that’s huge. That’s very important. Again, what we’re doing as law enforcement to target our enforcement at fentanyl is very important. But the main thing is we’ve got to educate people on the problem, where, you know, fentanyl overdoses are the leading cause of death for Americans under 40. But we know that these dealers are particularly targeting kids, and they’re using social media.”

“Senator Marshall has been an incredibly valuable partner, the legislation is important. He’s also been leading roundtable discussions around the state where he brings law enforcement leaders together with community members, both from the schools and from healthcare. And that’s, I think, really important to get us all talking and working together because we all see the problem from a different perspective.”