Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has joined 38 other attorneys general in signing a letter supporting the Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act (YSUPA). This bipartisan legislation, introduced by U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Thom Tillis, seeks to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The amendment would authorize federal grant funding for public service announcement campaigns aimed at youth.
"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."
According to the United Health Foundation, 9.1% of Nevada youth aged 12 to 17 reported using illicit drugs in the last month in 2022. Only nine states had higher percentages of children reporting drug use. The coalition emphasized that youth substance use remains a growing public health concern, especially with rising fentanyl-related overdoses and synthetic drugs availability.
The YSUPA would mandate annual reports on campaign content, reach, and outcomes funded by federal grants to assess their impact on youth populations. These reports would also provide insights into effective messaging strategies that could be replicated elsewhere.
AG Ford has prioritized addressing the opioid crisis during his tenure. Legal settlements related to the opioid epidemic have brought over $1.1 million for mitigation efforts in Nevada through his office's work. Additionally, AG Ford's office collaborated with counties and cities in Nevada on the One Nevada Agreement on Allocation of Opioid Recoveries.
In addition to AG Ford from Nevada, attorneys general from states including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia among others have signed the letter supporting this initiative.