On December 15, the Trump administration, through an executive order, classified fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD), casting those who use and sell fentanyl as purveyors of a hazardous, toxic substance in the same class as Anthrax and Ricin. While the ramifications of this classification are unclear, the designation itself has the power to cause irreparable harm by contributing to the stigma and dehumanization of people who use drugs, fueling misinformation about fentanyl, and diverting needed resources and legislative attention away from proven solutions to the overdose crisis.

To mark International Overdose Awareness Day, families who have lost loved ones to overdose held a press conference on Aug. 27, urging lawmakers to prioritize health-based solutions that prevent these tragic losses. They called to halt and reverse the wave of harsh drug laws and criminalization, which they say will not reduce overdose deaths but will continue to fill our prisons without helping those struggling with substance use disorder.

Dr. Tamara Olt, executive director of the advocacy group Broken No More, lost her 16-year-old son to a heroin overdose in 2012. She said the steep drop in deaths validates years of advocacy for a public health approach. “We believe that taking a public health approach that seeks to support — not punish — people who use drugs is crucial to ending the overdose crisis,” she said.