'Stache Bag Saves
A fentanyl harm reduction campaign
As the essential community partner for children and families, Aldea is committed to bringing awareness to critical issues facing our clients and neighbors. One of the most insidious crises nationwide is fentanyl poisoning, a product of the ongoing opioid epidemic. Of the fentanyl crisis, acclaimed author of Fentanyl, INC., Ben Westoff told Aldea, "Any pill or powder bought off the black market may contain fentanyl. Even if a pill looks exactly like a Xanax, Percocet, or whatever, it can kill you. Use fentanyl testing strips, and stay safe out there!"
In response to this urgent community need, Aldea has partnered with the Michael Leonardi Foundation to launch 'Stache Bags Save Lives, a campaign with the purpose of informing young people and providing them with the means to test their doses for fentanyl before consumption. Michael Leonardi was a local young man and "empathetic soul" who tragically passed away after unknowingly ingesting a lethal dose of fentanyl, "He was no way aware the counterfeit Percocet he purchased from a dealer on Snapchat was really fentanyl, not oxycodone." Tragically, his story is an increasingly common reality for many families in our community. 'Stache Bags Saves Lives is a harm-reduction initiative that aims to promote testing drugs before use and arms young people with the knowledge and resources to navigate instances of fentanyl poisonings.
It is in Michael's honor that Aldea will be passing out 'Stache Bags with single use testing strips along with information on signs of poisoning, how to access life-saving Narcan, and who to call when help is needed. Aldea will be passing out bags at Napa Valley College on August 25th, just days after what would have been Michael's 21st birthday. For more information on what Aldea is doing to combat lethal fentanyl poisoning,
