‘An uphill bAttle’

Three mothers in the Valley come together to discourage the sale of fentanyl-laced drugs

By JAMES CROWLEY contributing writer

A group of mothers from Rockingham and Augusta counties — Faythe Silveira, Alicia Dos Santos and Debra Frisk — are fighting for longer prison time for fentanyl dealers in Virginia after losing family members to the drug’s poisoning.

According to data from The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), fentanyl was responsible for around 70,000 of 106,699 recorded drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2022. In Virginia specifically, NIDA found there were more than 2,500 overdoses, with the majority caused by fentanyl.

The mothers’ pushes are in tandem with recent attention on fentanyl within the JMU community. Student Government Association (SGA) Senator Emily Butters drafted a resolution encouraging JMU to place Narcan in residence halls on campus during the SGA Senate’s Feb. 1 meeting.

Dos Santos, Frisk and Silveira are part of a larger group of women in Virginia who organized through a Facebook group called Lost Voices of Fentanyl, advocating for harsher punishments for fentanyl dealers.

The group has organized several marches in cities across Virginia, from counties in Northern Virginia, near Harrisonburg, Richmond, Washington, D.C., and more. At these marches, their goal is to raise awareness about fentanylrelated deaths and more prison time for the dealers, and get people to join them in their fight.

Silveira said some of the marches have gained attention. On May 6, Silveira, Frisk, Dos Santos and the other Lost Voices members will be joining the Association of People Against Lethal Drugs in Hopewell, Virginia, at a rally. All are welcome to join and “the more people they can get there, the better,” Silveira said.

Paula Moreria, Dos Santos’ daughter and Silveira’s niece, died from fentanyl poisoning at the age of 18. Frisk’s son, Keen Harper Frisk, died from fentanyl poisoning at 23. Each victim received the fentanyl-laced drugs from the same drug dealer — a “murderer,” Dos Santos and Frisk called him.

“We are living,” Dos Santos said, “but we are suffering. My daughter is not coming back. We don’t want other families to suffer the way they have to.”

Silveira said drug dealers who sell fentanyl often know the drug’s dangers and sell it anyway. The three women are “fighting every day” to pass legislation that will modify punishments for those who distribute drugs laced with fentanyl. he served less than a year.

Dos Santos, Frisk and Silveira said they believe dealers who distribute fentanyl to people unaware of what they’re receiving should be charged with first- or seconddegree murder.

Silveira said she hopes the mothers’ efforts to secure harsher laws result in lengthier, guaranteed prison time for drug dealers who knowingly sell laced drugs.

“This is not justice,” Silveira said of the drug dealer who didn’t serve his full five-year sentence. “Tougher sentences can be given and the perpetrators made to serve out their sentences.”

Frisk said the mothers “won’t be stopped” until stricter laws are made and the people selling fentanyl are put behind bars.

Though some Virginia lawmakers have “ignored” the mothers’ bill proposals, requests and declined to meet, Silveira said, that hasn’t slowed their momentum.

Frisk said she believes there’s political bias against passing Senate Bill 1188 — a bill classifying selling fentanyl as a “terrorist act” with dealers being charged with attempted second-degree murder. Virginia Democrats are against the bill for political party power reasons, Frisk said, rather than actually trying to solve the problem of fentanyl poisoning.

However, the women have gained support from other government officials, including First Lady of Virginia Suzanne Youngkin. On a recent trip to Richmond, Youngkin and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (’98) voiced support for the mothers, Dos Santos said. Frisk said Miyares was “very kind and is eager to help” their cause for harsher penalties.

According to an NBC article, Youngkin spoke to the local news alongside Silveira, Frisk, Dos Santos and others to advocate for the movement and support the passage of the bill. The Virginia General Assembly passed the bill March 7 and it’ll be signed into law in July.

Silveira, Frisk and Dos Santos said it’s important for people to keep speaking up. If local residents and students can “be loud,” it’ll help the movement be heard.

“It feels like an uphill battle,” Silveira said about sellers getting any more prison time than a minimum sentence. Though she has faith: “If ordinary citizens could speak up and help raise awareness, it could go a long way in our fight for these harsher penalties.” years in prison — but

CONTACT James Crowley at crowl2jm@dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

By ASHLEE THOMPSON The Breeze

The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate rejected two amendments to SGA’s Constitution and celebrated its last regular season meeting Tuesday.

Attendees were rambunctious and sentimental with many exclaiming “aw” as Senate Speaker Daniel Gaffin struck the lectern with his gavel to commence the session for the final time.

Senior Senator Emily Butters proposed two amendments to SGA’s Constitution, both of which were rejected by the senators. This is the first time an amendment has been rejected at SGA.

The first amendment proposed would’ve added a fifth clause in Article X, titled “Amendments.” The amendment proposed for any change to be made to the constitution, it must be approved by a majority vote by the student body.

Butters proposed this amendment to increase SGA’s “accountability” to the student body and focus on the good of students when passing resolutions.

Junior SGA Representative Matt Haynicz disagreed with Butters, calling the reasoning behind the amendment “confusing” and said the student body would be making decisions on the Senate’s governing document.