This bill aims to amend Laken's Law by expanding the scope of fentanyl, heroin, and opioids awareness, prevention, and abuse instruction to include students in grades 3 to 12 in all public schools in West Virginia. The current law specifies instruction for grades 6 to 12, which will be updated to reflect the new inclusion of grades 3 to 5. The bill mandates that students shall receive education on various topics, including awareness and prevention of substance abuse, the life-saving use of FDA-approved opioid reversal agents, and information on state and community resources aimed at reducing youth substance use.

The mandatory instruction for grades 6 to 12 is set to begin in the 2024-2025 school year, while the expanded instruction for grades 3 to 5 will commence in the following school year, 2025-2026. This initiative is designed to address the growing concerns surrounding substance abuse among younger populations and aims to equip students with the knowledge and resources necessary to combat the risks associated with fentanyl and other opioids.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-34-1