VIRGINIA NEWS – Overdoses rise in Virginia, crisis spurs school notification bills

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

Drug overdoses have continued to strain the lives of Virginians as drug overdose cases have continued to rise in the state. Lawmakers have been divided on how to address the growing issue of drug overdoses in Virginia. The moan divide has come around the issue of schooling. Lawmakers cannot seem to agree on whether schools should report “suspected” overdoses or only “confirmed” cases. Virginia recorded a total of 21,881 drug overdose emergency department visits in 2023. This number is extremely high but is still a 2% decrease from 2022. 

Despite a slight decline fentanyl overdoses have remained a major concern and have prompted numerous pieces of legislation to be drafted on the topic. Senator Glen Sturtevant sponsored a bill that expanded upon the reporting requirements for schools, colleges, and universities. His bill cleared the House’s education committee on Monday and will now face the entire house. This bill comes after a similar proposal from Senator Jennifer Carroll Foy. Foy’s bill did fail last session.