Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford, alongside 38 other attorneys general, has endorsed the bipartisan Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act (YSUPA) through a letter to congressional leadership. This legislative proposal, introduced by U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Thom Tillis, aims to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow federal grants for developing public service campaigns targeting youth substance abuse.
“Youth substance abuse is a devastating issue to Nevada families and extremely harmful to our state’s children,” said AG Ford. “Information is a vital tool in the fight against drug abuse, and by targeting our children with evidence-based messaging, we can help ensure they grow up happy, healthy and drug-free. Fighting back against the opioid crisis has been a core goal for me during my time as attorney general, and this legislation would be an extraordinarily useful tool to meet our children where they are and to arm them with the information they need to keep themselves safe and addiction-free.”
The United Health Foundation reported that in 2022, 9.1% of Nevada youth aged 12 to 17 used illicit drugs in the previous month. Only nine states had higher rates among youth. The coalition emphasized that youth substance use remains a growing public health concern amid rising fentanyl-related overdoses and synthetic drug availability. Research shows early drug use often leads to long-term disorders impacting families and communities.
The YSUPA mandates annual reports on campaign content, reach, and outcomes using federal funding to measure impact on youth populations. These reports could provide insights into effective strategies that other regions might replicate.
Attorney General Ford highlighted his commitment to addressing Nevada’s opioid crisis during his tenure through legal settlements totaling over $1.1 million for epidemic mitigation efforts. His office collaborated with counties in creating the One Nevada Agreement on Allocation of Opioid Recoveries for community-specific needs.
By signing this letter, AG Ford joins attorneys general from Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota New Mexico North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Utah Vermont U.S Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming.
