CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has written letters to social media companies urging them to take action to help prevent drug dealers from using their platforms to peddle fentanyl.
“The body bags are lining up," Morrisey says in the letters to the CEOs of Meta Platforms (Facebook), Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, TikTok, Discord and Telegram.
Morrisey's office says drug dealers are increasingly using social media platforms to prey on teens.
Morrisey
“We all have to do our part in getting rid of this menace that has plagued not only West Virginia, but the entire nation, resulting in countless deaths and lives torn apart," Morrisey said. “As we all know, social media like Facebook and Twitter are catalysts for interaction and modern camaraderie, and teens often use these platforms to get in touch with each other and share their innermost feelings.
“It’s time for these social media giants to use their power and prevent drug dealers in destroying more lives.”
The United States had 107,622 drug deaths in 2021, a 15 percent increase of 13,967 from 93,655 in 2020. Almost the entirety of the increase is due to fentanyl, according to Morrisey's office. West Virginia had 1,194 fentanyl and other synthetic opioid deaths in 2021, up 10 percent from 1,083 in 2020.
In the letters, Morrisey asked the social media companies to “provide my office with detailed information regarding the steps you have taken and will take in order to combat drug trafficking."
“When it comes to the dangers of fentanyl, we cannot fail,” Attorney General Morrisey said.