PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — Grieving parents who lost a loved one to fentanyl are fighting for a new statewide initiative they said will save lives. They're calling it the "Stop Fentanyl Dealers" initiative.
About a dozen parents gathered in front of the California Attorney General's Office in Sacramento to introduce the initiative on Tuesday. They're asking for harsher laws that would target those who sell illicit fentanyl.
Photos, displayed in front of the building, showed the many faces of lives lost after being poisoned by fentanyl. One of those photos shown was that of Alexandra who died after a fentanyl poisoning back in December 2019.
"This isn't easy and it's not easy for so many of the parents to come here and keep doing this and keep doing this, and keep doing this. But we fight for our children," said Matt Capelouto, Alexandra's father.
State lawmakers failed to pass what's known as "Alexandra's law," which would have required a judge to warn fentanyl dealers of the increased consequences if they sell a lethal dose.
Frustrated, Capelouto took the first steps in getting the issue in the hands of voters. Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire drafted the initiative.
"They would be advised by the court with a formal advisement that says selling or providing drugs to other people is dangerous and it can kill people. If you do it again, you can be charged with murder. And that's it. That all it does is it warns them," said Gire.
His office is the first in the state to secure a murder conviction for a fentanyl-related death.
The initiative would require accountability for drug dealers by sentencing them to 10-12 years in prison. Another element would include prevention.
"It is one more tool in the overall fight in this fentanyl crisis. The real crisis will be solved through education, outreach and a reduction in demand. But we also have to increase our enforcement and prosecution on the other end as well," said Gire.
Advocates said Alexandra's Law has been proposed in front of legislators for the last three years but has been rejected.
Now with this new initiative, Capelouto hopes it could find its way onto the ballot in 2024.
"We know our kids aren't coming back, and it's about saving the lives of others. And there's nothing greater that motivates me than that," said Capelouto
In order to make a 2024 ballot, they said they need anywhere from 600,000 to 650,000 signatures.
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