AMHERST COUNTY, Va. – Earlier this week, some Amherst County elementary students were sent to the hospital. After school, leaders said they were exposed to fentanyl, when they ate gummies that were tainted by the drug.
[READ MORE: Two arrested after Amherst Co. elementary students eat fentanyl-positive gummies, officials say]
Now, one local lawmaker is responding. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) said he’s working to keep fentanyl out of the hands of people, especially kids.
He said that the U.S. and Mexico need to work together to eradicate the drug coming across the border.
Kaine believes more technology to screen all of the vehicles that come across is needed.
“This sad story in Amherst is just repeated again and again and again,” Kaine said. “People who are killed, or nearly killed by fentanyl, who had no idea that’s what they were consuming.”
Kaine said he wants to ramp up public messaging, called the “One Pill Will Kill” campaign, that will keep the public educated on the dangers of fentanyl.