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>> WELCOME BACK, ON THIS SHOW,
WE’RE COMMITTED TO BRINGING YOU
THE IMPORTANT STORIES IMPACTING
THE NATION AND ALSO PROVIDING
SOLUTIONINGS.
THIS WEEK IS PART OF OUR JOURNEY
TOGETHER CROSS COUNTRY I TRAVEL
TO MASSACHUSETTS WHERE I MET A
YOUNG WOMAN WHO CAN COMING
FORWARD TO SHARE HER STORY ON
ADDICTION AND SURVIVAL INVOLVED
THE DEADLIEST DRUG IN AMERICA
TODAY, AND IT IS IMPACTING
AMERICANS IN EACH AND EVERY
STATE IT IS CALLED FENTANYL.
>> BRITNEY STORY BEGAN LIKE SO
MANY OTHER AMERICANS PROGRESSION
OF ADDICTION TONIGHT SHE
TELLINGS THAT STORY IN THE HOPES
THAT IT WILL SAVE LIVES.
>> HI BRITNEY THANKS FOR DOING
THIS.
TELL ME --
WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU GOT
HIGH?
>> I WAS 13 I STARTED OFF WITH
JUST WEED ACTUALLY.
SO THAT’S HOW IT STARTED OFF.
I DIDN’T LIKE IT, THOUGH.
I AUTOMATICALLY GOT LIKE A HUGE
PANIC ATTACK EVERYBODY WAS
TELLING ME RUN IN CIRCLES TOLD
ME IT WOULD GET BETTER SO I DID
AND I FREAKED OUT.
AND THEN WHEN I WAS 14, I TRIED
VICODIN AND THIS WAS IN 2007 BUT
I REALLY LIKED HOW IT MADE ME
FEEL BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS
GOING HAPPEN AFTER THAT.
LAWRENCE: WENT FROM WEED TO
PILLS AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR
FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH FENTANYL.
>> YEAH SO I WENT TO TREATMENT
WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD FOR --
LIKE XANAX AND OPIOIDS IN
GENERAL BUT WHEN I GOT OUT I
LEARN ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER
DRUGS LIKE IV WAYS TO USE IT SO
18 AND A HALF TO 19 THAT’S WHEN
I STARTED.
I DON’T THINK I KNEW IT WAS
FENTANYL IN THE BEGINNING BUT AS
I WAS MORE INTO I KNEW THAT I
WAS --
DEFINITELY INJECTING FENTANYL.
AND THAT WAS GOOD.
THAT’S WHAT I WANTED.
LAWRENCE: TODAY IN AMERICA
OVERDOSES HAVE SKYROCKETED AND
KILL MORE THAN CAR ACCIDENTS
LAST WEEK GREG ABBOTT ISSUED
THIS WARNING TO NATION CALLED
OUT THE PRESIDENT --
>> THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH OF
OUR FELLOW AMERICANS AGE 18 TO
45 IS FENTANYL.
AND PRESIDENT BIDEN IS DOING
NOTHING TO ADDRESS THAT FENTANYL
PROBLEM.
LAWRENCE: SO YOU’VE BEEN IN SOME
DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
CAN YOU TELL ME A COUPLE.
>> YEAH.
SO --
WHEN I WAS LIVING IN SOUTH
FLORIDA, I WENT TO A MOTEL TO
GET DRUGS BECAUSE THAT WAS THE
NORMAL THING TO DO FOR ME.
AND I WENT UP THE STAIRS AND I
GOT TRICKED BY A GROUP OF DRUG
DEALERS.
THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVE THEM AND
THEY DIDN’T HAVE IT AND THEY
LOCKED THE DOOR SO I HAD TO MAKE
UP A PLY TO GET OUT OF THE ROOM
WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE ROOM I
DIDN’T REALIZE THEY WERE
ACTUALLY TEN OR 15 OF THEM THEY
ALL CAME OUT FROM DIFFERENT --
SIDES OF THE HOTEL.
LAWRENCE: HOW DID YOU GET AWAY?
>> I JUST RAN.
I RAN BUT THEY KEPT LOOKING FOR
ME THAT WAS THE PROBLEM.
AND I WENT TO A WENDY’S I HAD TO
ASK MANAGER TO LET ME IN SO I
COULD HIDE IN THE BATHROOM.
LAWRENCE: SO YOU REACH A
BREAKING POINT WHAT IS THE
BREAKING POINT?
>> THE BREAKING POINT I WAS TEN
WEEKS PREGNANT WITH MY FIRST
CHILD AND I OVERDOSED.
LAWRENCE: WHAT WAS THAT DAY LIKE
FOR YOU?
>> I JUST KNEW THAT --
HONESTLY I KNEW I WAS GOING TO
START FEELING HER KICK SOON AND
THAT SCARED ME.
BECAUSE THEN IT WAS GOING TO BE
REAL.
LAWRENCE: THAT WAS IT FOR YOU.
WHY?
>> I DIDN’T WANT TO DO THAT TO
MY OWN CHILD.
LAWRENCE: THAT MATTERED TO YOU.
>> YEAH.
LAWRENCE: OKAY.
IT’S OKAY.
[CRYING]
WALK ME THROUGH THIS.
YOU FEEL THAT KICK AND YOUR NEXT
MOVE IS --
>> I ACTUALLY WENT TO A CLINIC
WHICH I SWORE I WOULD NEVER DO
BUT I TRIED EVERYTHING.
I ACTUALLY HAD TO GO ON
MEDICATION TO COME OFF OF IT --
LAWRENCE: WHAT SORT OF
MEDICATION?
>> METHADONE.
GLANS ALL OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
BELIEVE THAT PART OF THE WAY
THAT YOU HELPED INDIVIDUALS
CONCUR THIS IS GIVING THEM
NEEDLES CLEAN NEEDLING GIVING
THEM TOOLS TO DO OR GIVING THEM
SMALLER DOSES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE
DIRCHGHTS DIFFERENT PROGRAMS IS
THAT REALLY HEALTHY?
>> NO I DON’T.
BECAUSE I THINK IT IS --
IT IS JUST MAKING IT EASIER.
BECAUSE IF I DIDN’T OVERDOSE
WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY
DAUGHTER I COULD GO TO A
FACILITY AND SHOOT UP I WOULDN’T
HAVE --
REMEMBER I SAID I WAS AFRAID I
WAS BEGINNING TO DIE IF I HAD A
PLACE LIKE THAT WHY WOULD I
STOP?
>> FENTANYL IS IMPACTING EVERY
CORNER OF THE COUNTRY ON JANUARY
15TH IN NEIGHBORING HARTFORD
CONNECTICUT A GUY OVERDOSED IN A
SCHOOL BATHROOM.
EVEN MORE SHOCKING, POLICE HAVE
NOW REPORTEDLY FOUND 100 BAGS OF
THE POWERFUL SUBSTANCE IN HIS
BEDROOM.
>> ANOTHER GEAR PEOPLE THAT ARE
WATCHING, SOMEONE WHO MAY BE
USING RIGHT NOW AND THAT’S
WATCHING, IF YOU HAD ONE THING
TELL THEM JUST ONE THING --
WHAT WOULD THAT ONE THING BE?
>> KEEP FIGHTING.
DON’T GIVE UP.
BECAUSE MIGHT NOT HAVE WORKED
THE LAST TIME BUT DOESN’T MEAN
YOU CAN’T GET IT --
YOU HAVE TO KEEP TRYING.
BUT TOMORROW MIGHT NEVER COME
SO --
YOU’VE GOT TO DO IT NOW.
NOT PLAN IT OUT.
IT IS NEVER GOING TO BE ENOUGH.