Councilmember Natali Fani-González, as well as two parents whose children died from fentanyl overdoses and a business owner whose income has been hurt due to drug problems, testified in Annapolis Tuesday.
They want to convince legislators that penalizing dealers for selling illegal drugs is not enough. Dealers also must be punished when their customers die or become seriously ill due to those drugs, explained Fani-González.
Delegation members gathered at the Wheaton Library before traveling together by van to Annapolis to testify.
Fani-González said she planned to tell legislators, “I am here today with my neighbors and local businessowners urging you to please support and do everything in your power” to make sure dealers are prosecuted for selling the fentanyl and heroin that resulted in death or serious bodily harm.
In 2023, there were 99 fatal overdoses in Montgomery County.
The delegation from Aspen Hill, Glenmont, Wheaton, Rockville and Forest Glen and the Montgomery County Police Department included Isis Yamileth Flores, who lost her 16-year-old child Yader Rosa Flores and Edith Montalvan, who also lost her 15-year-old daughter, Ashleigh Edwards, to an overdose.
“This legislation is not meant to target those in our community who are suffering from addiction–rather it is meant to target those who take advantage of our most vulnerable community members,” said Police Captain Nicholas Picerno.
Also planning to testify was Roberta Vierira, whose store in Wheaton has been robbed numerous times. She didn’t name her store for fear it would be victimized further.
The proposed legislation, which is named Victoria and Scottie’s Law, would not penalize individuals with behavioral and mental health conditions, those helping under Good Samaritan law principles, individuals providing medical assistance or those distributing the drugs without monetary gain or payment.
