Livingston Parish Council proclaims April 29, 2025, Fentanyl Awareness Day after SADD presentation

Students Against Destructive Decisions urged the Livingston Parish Council on April 24 to adopt a proclamation recognizing April 29, 2025, as Fentanyl Awareness Day in the parish. Hallie Harrell, a student leader with Livingston Parish SADD, described a multimedia awareness campaign and asked council members to adopt the resolution the group provided.

The resolution notes that fentanyl is a synthetic opioid many times stronger than morphine and says drug traffickers are increasingly mixing fentanyl into other drugs, raising the risk that users will unknowingly ingest it. Harrell told the council the group has used social media, TV, public service announcements and community events to spread the message and is organizing a family summit in June funded by the Florida Parishes Human Services Authority. "Fentanyl takes it all," Harrell said, adding that two milligrams — about the size of a pencil tip — can be lethal.

Council clerk Sandy read the proclamation language aloud at the meeting, which cites federal overdose statistics and Drug Enforcement Administration seizure figures. Councilwoman Sandiford moved to adopt the resolution and Councilman Mangus seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

The council also accepted requests from SADD for 25 awareness bracelets to distribute in council districts and for members to promote the June family summit; Harrell asked members to take a folder of materials the group provided. The resolution is ceremonial and urges residents to spread awareness and education; no enforcement or budgetary action was attached to the proclamation.

The adopted proclamation and Harrell’s presentation were recorded during the presentations item on the April 24 agenda; council members took a group photo with SADD after the vote.