Join

Prince William County lawmaker takes action against fentanyl crisis amid rising youth deaths

Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Prince William County) was one of the few Virginia lawmakers who passed any new legislation on fentanyl. This deadly drug kills four to five Virginians a day.

The bill, awaiting Governor Glenn Youngkin’s signature, standardizes how children. “We’re seeing fentanyl dig deeper and earlier and younger into the school system.

More than 1,500 children and teenagers under the age of 20 died from fentanyl in 2021, four times as many as in 2018, reported Science News in April 2023.

Despite that fact, Democrats in Richmond aren’t doing much to combat the deaths, said Lovejoy.

“Democrats are afraid to add new crimes to the books because they don’t want to piss off their base,” said Lovejoy. “No laws got stricter about any crimes. No new crimes were created. We only weakened offenses in the code.”

On Tuesday, Abigail Spanberger (D-Va., 7th. Prince William, Stafford, Fredericksburg) joined Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham in Woodbridge to warn about the dangers of smoking fentanyl through a straw, which is an increasing number of people who consume the drug way of using the drug, reports Insidenova.com.

Spanberger used the press conference to which Potomac Local was not invited to talk about her new bill, Dubbed the Targeting Online Sales of Fentanyl Act. The bill would require the U.S. Government Accountability Office to investigate the methods used to enable the online sale of fentanyl and assess efforts by federal law enforcement and online providers to combat the practice.

Lovejoy said Spanberger toured the halls of the Virginia Capital multiple times during the 2024 General Assembly session, which ended March 9, and notes she failed to lobby any Democrats in the House to pass new legislation combating fentanyl.

In addition to curbing fentanyl use, Democrats failed to strengthen the penalties for drug dealers whose fentanyl kills its users. A Senate bill that would have upped the charge to felony homicide died in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee, with local Democrats Scott Surrovell (Fairfax) and Jennifer Carroll Foy (Prince William County) voting to kill it.

“I think that’s when she should have sat down with her democratic colleagues and said, ‘We need to move the ball forward on meaningful fentanyl legislation.’ She could have been very public about it, signaling that she wants and supports more aggressive fentanyl legislation, and she was mute on all those issues,” said Lovejoy.

Lovejoy, a freshman in the House of Delegates and the only Republican Delegate in Northern Virginia agreed to a wide-ranging interview about his first General Assembly session. We’ll bring more of that to you in the coming days.

Author

  • I'm the Founder and Publisher of Potomac Local News. Raised in Woodbridge, I'm now raising my family in Northern Virginia and care deeply about our community. If you're not getting our FREE email newsletter, you are missing out. Subscribe Now!

    View all posts

Recent Stories

Santa Claus made a festive entrance at Potomac Mills mall today at 2 p.m., marking the beginning of the holiday season with a cheerful celebration in the Grand Court, located next to TJ Maxx.

(The Center Square) — The average American’s energy bill could increase from 25% to 70% in the next 10 years without intervention from policymakers, according to a new study from Washington, D.C.-based think tank the Jack Kemp Foundation.

Fredericksburg officials used map boards and statistics to present potential plans for another bridge across the Rappahannock River at a public meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, the Rotary Club of Manassas significantly contributed to the local community by donating $24,000 to Willing Warriors, a nonprofit organization that supports wounded service members and their families.

Travel to French soil and celebrate with us for an unforgettable evening of delicious food, wine and music.

What better way to celebrate the end of the 2024 wine harvest in style than at the Embassy of France at DC’s only official celebration?

This is the Wine Event Of The Year!

Read More

Submit your own Community Post here.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by current events, family responsibilities, or the demands of work? If stress, anxiety, or emotional exhaustion are weighing you down, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to face it alone. At Peaceful Mind Solutions, we understand that life’s challenges can sometimes feel insurmountable, and we’re here to help.

We offer in person and virtual appointments. Our in person office is located in Kingstowne Virginia.

Our team offers compassionate support and practical tools tailored to help you navigate life’s complexities with greater ease and confidence. Whether you’re struggling with personal issues, managing family stress, or dealing with professional pressures, we are committed to helping you find peace and clarity.

Read More

Submit your own Community Post here.

Sing a Song of Christmas!!!

Join the New Dominion Choraliers for an impressive and exciting concert celebrating the Brightest and Best of the season. Along with the Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra, the chorus opens the program opens with Vivaldi’s Gloria, a joyful hymn of praise

×

Subscribe to our mailing list