First Lady of Virginia Suzanne Youngkin brings fentanyl awareness campaign to Liberty University

First Lady of Virginia Suzanne Youngkin joined Liberty University President Dondi E. Costin on Thursday for a panel discussion to raise awareness of the national fentanyl crisis, highlight the state’s ongoing efforts to mitigate overdose deaths, and encourage students and faculty to remove the stigma around substance abuse.

The event, held in the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity in cooperation with the Helms School of Government, was part of Youngkin’s It Only Takes One initiative, an awareness effort to educate Virginians on the catastrophic consequences of drug use.

Youngkin’s inspiration for change began in 2020, when her family lost a close friend to a fentanyl overdose.

“I knew that when we lost (him), I was devastated by that,” she said. “Little did I know that God would call my husband into public service in 2021 and that I would be put in a position where I had a platform to speak out. In listening to Virginians and recognizing that so many people have lived experiences like I did, I knew that this was our time, and we needed to make a difference.”

Fentanyl is a potent, man-made opioid and the most lethal substance by weight. Just two tiny salt-size grains can deliver a fatal dose. The drug is commonly pressed into pills masquerading as Xanax, Adderall, and other prescriptions. According to the DEA, 79% of pills picked up off the streets are laced with this deadly ingredient. Many dealers also lace the deadly ingredient into substances like cannabis, which is legal for recreational use in Virginia (in a restricted amount) and 23 other states.

“We feel very strongly that the data around marijuana use has been supplanted by a lot of very loud voices,” Youngkin said. “Young people have been told grotesque mistruths about the addictive nature of marijuana, what it does to developing brains.”

“The THC content in marijuana right now compared to when I was your age is astronomically different,” said Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Amanda Trent, who also participated on the panel and helped organize the event. “As Christians, we do need to talk about it. President Costin preaches all the time, ‘If it’s Christian, it ought to be better,’ so we’ve got to reduce the stigma behind drug use.”

The First Lady said that despite the difficult challenges, Virginia has made tremendous strides in reducing overdose deaths by taking an “all-of-the-above” approach. One element was passing bipartisan legislation that equipped every prison in the commonwealth with Naloxone — a synthetic drug that blocks opiate receptors in the nervous system — and persons trained to administer it.

“Fentanyl today remains the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 40,” she reminded the audience. “This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. This is a human issue, so there have been lots of legislation that has been passed.”

Since 2021, when Gov. Glenn Youngkin took office, Virginia has experienced a steep reduction in fatal overdose deaths.

“This cause is one that’s affecting the entire country, and so we are very grateful,” Costin said. “Every time we have a chance to have a Youngkin on campus, it’s a great day.”

Gov. Youngkin was Liberty’s Commencement keynote speaker in May and recently attended an on-campus event to help Liberty celebrate its partnership with the Virginia State Police, a groundbreaking initiative that expedites students’ careers in law enforcement. Suzanne Youngkin visited campus in March as part of her Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia’s Women+girls (W+g) initiative, where she facilitated a session with Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet V. Kelly and Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera.

On Thursday, Senior Associate Director of Community Life Essence Lewis spoke briefly about Liberty’s efforts to care for students who may be struggling with substance abuse.

“We are here to support all of our students, not just with campus life, but with issues like substance use, and we know that that’s a serious issue,” she said. “So, we are committed to helping our students in whatever way we can.”

The Office of Community Life offers campuswide programming, including training modules, to educate the student body. Student Life can also help students connect with counseling services, care teams, and even recovery programs.

Suzanne Younkin has hosted It Only Takes One panels at multiple universities across Virginia, including Longwood University, James Madison University, and Virginia Tech; other visits are scheduled for the future.

With over 90% of overdose fatalities being accidental, Costin advised students to avoid the risk altogether.

“Whatever you do, never take anything you think is a prescription-type medicine unless it’s been prescribed to you by a licensed medical professional. Everything else is risky,” Costin said. “Something as simple as this elevates the conversation in a way that everyone can understand. And it takes the awkwardness away. And remember, it only takes one.”