Attorney General Lynn Fitch, incollaboration with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN) and the Andrew Jackson Council of the Boy Scouts of America, hosted Scout Out Opioids, aprogram to raise awareness with Scouts and their families of the dangers of opioids and offer techniques for reducing opioid abuse and misuse for themand their loved ones.
"In Mississippi, the opioid epidemic has hurt so many of our loved ones," saidAttorney General Lynn Fitch. "But together we can ensure that youngchildren and adolescents are aware of the dangerous consequences of opioidsand equipped with the tools they need to save the lives of those around them.Thank you to the Boys Scouts of America and the Mississippi Bureau ofNarcotics for partnering with us and investing in the next generation ofleaders."As part of Scout Out Opioids, Scouts attending Winter Camp at Hood ScoutReservation heard from experts from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics andthe Attorney General's Office on opioid addiction and abuse. LieutenantRobert Whitten, Law Enforcement Liaison for the Mississippi Bureau ofNarcotics, delivered remarks to the Scouts about the important role lawenforcement plays in fighting opioids and the dangers of illicit drug use.Lieutenant Whitten is a former Scout and Cub Scout leader."The Mississippi Department of Public Safety and Mississippi Bureau ofNarcotics is proud to partner with Attorney General Fitch and her team tostrengthen our fight against opioids in our state," said MississippiDepartment of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. "Throughworking together, we can continue our mission to raise awareness about thedangers of these drugs and take action to continue removing them from ourstreets and communities."The Attorney General's Office distributed hundreds of Fentanyl Harm
Prevention Kits to parents. Each kit includes two fentanyl test strips, one drugdisposal bag used to deactivate unused or expired drugs, and a pillidentification card. The Office also delivered an Emergency Overdose Box forthe Hood Reservation, which can be mounted in a public place and includesnaloxone and other tools needed to prevent a deadly overdose. For theirparticipation, all Scouts received a Scout Out Opioids patch."This week, the Andrew Jackson Council was able to present leadership fromthe Attorney General's Office of Mississippi and inform more than 550 Scoutsand Scouters of the challenges that face our youth through opioid and over thecounter products like vaping," said Kenneth P. Kercheval, ScoutExecutive and CEO of Boy Scouts of America-Andrew JacksonCouncil. "The presentation was captivating and informative to all that werepresent. Thanks to Attorney General Lynn Fitch and her office, all Scouts leftwith a kit of ways to protect themselves and their friends, educate theirparents, a drug disposal bag, and of course, a patch. It is in our Scout Oath to bephysically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. We were proud to beable to partner in the delivery of this presentation.
"In 2023, the Mississippi Attorney General's Office unveiledOne Pill Can Kill,a public awareness campaign to educate, support, and empower Mississippianswith information on the dangers of fentanyl, how to identify it, and what to doif a loved one is overdosing. As part of the initiative, AG Fitch has distributed20,000 of the Fentanyl Harm Prevention Kits through schools and communityorganizations across the state.This year, AG Fitch introduced her Emergency Overdose Boxes. The boxes weredeveloped in coordination with Harbor Path, a nonprofit dedicated to puttingnaloxone within arm's reach of anyone who needs it.