Over the past decade, drug overdoses, both fatal and nonfatal, have become an epidemic in Missouri. The synthetic opioid fentanyl, which is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S.
This drug affects people of all genders, races and age groups in rural and urban Missouri communities.
KCUR's Up To Date was joined by three mothers who lost their children to fentanyl overdoses.
- Libby Davis started Keepin' Clean for Coop after her son Cooper's death. The organization's goal is to raise awareness and to keep sharing Cooper's story.
- Lori Smith, a resident of Independence, Missouri, lost her son Matthew Smith last year and says she hasn't heard any response from police or government officials about his case.
- Virginia Kreiger lost her daughter, Tiffany Robertson, to a fentanyl overdose in 2015. Since then, she has dedicated her life to helping other moms and families raise awareness and to put a stop to the opioid epidemic in America. This work led Kreiger to her current role as the founder of Parents Against Illicit Narcotics (PAIN) and co-founder of Lost Voices of Fentanyl.
