CMPD targets young people in campaign to raise awareness around fentanyl

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is kicking off a new campaign to warn people, especially younger people, about the dangers of street pills.

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CMPD targets young people in campaign to raise awareness about fentanyl

According to CMPD, 179 people have died of overdoses in Charlotte this year. It’s a 20% increase compared to this time in 2022. Most of those victims, or 60% of them, are under 40 years old.

That number is nearly double the amount of homicides in the city this year.

Police said they’re targeting younger people and their families and they’re using specific language to do so. Their goal is to educate people, spark conversation, and prevent overdose deaths. The department is raising awareness around fentanyl-laced drugs, including their prevalence and risk.

Signs and billboards will soon be around Charlotte with phrases as eye-catching as they are head-scratching. They include “no cap, those pills are sus” and “the only Fenty we like is the beauty brand @rihanna.”

The approach has drawn quite a bit of attention already. Dozens of people sounded off on social media Thursday about CMPD’s approach, saying things like “no way this is real...” “trying to go viral for all the wrong reasons...” and “why are you talking like this? No one will take this seriously.”

But a few were positive comments, including, “these have already achieved their goal, which is to get a bunch of people talking about the problem.”

It’s unclear how much CMPD spent on the campaign, but Channel 9′s Sáenz learned the department came up with the idea themselves. No outside public relations or marketing agency was brought in.

‘Russian roulette’

Eighteen-year-old Jamahrian Roseboro died in August from a fentanyl overdose. His mother is making sure his story stays alive and helps to save other young people.

“We love you, we’re just trying to save you,” she said.

On Thursday, she shared her heartbreak at CMPD headquarters as the department spoke out about the dangers of street pills.

“You’re just playing Russian roulette,” she said. “You have no idea what you’re purchasing.”

Police said the problem is everywhere. On Sept. 13, they seized $120,000 worth of suspected fentanyl pills and three electric pill presses from a home on Shamrock Drive. This year, they’ve seized about 75 pounds total of suspected fentanyl.

The department, along with the Union County Sheriff’s Office, also announced the arrests of two drug trafficking suspects in Monroe who were given bonds that totaled $3 million.

CMPD hopes the new campaign draws attention to the issue.

“The concept is using popular slang terms that might be more common in younger folks,” Lt. Kevin Pietrus said. “We want this to stand out, we want it to be different.”

It’s an approach Jamahrian Roseboro’s mother hopes will help spare other families from her pain.

“Children, listen. They have great intentions for you,” she said.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, 7 out of 10 pills the agency analyzed had potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. The laced pills are designed to look like Oxycodone, Percocet or Xanax pills but can cause deadly overdoses.

It’s not clear when those messages will go up on billboards, but police said they’re also working to get these signs in front of students at every Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools high school.

Click here for resources, tips for parents, and a list of locations to safely dispose of drugs.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, call the national hotline at 1-800-662-4357.

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