This program is designed to create awareness of the dangers of Fentanyl and other opioids. It will specifically be targeted to teens to the thirties crowd although it will be presented to the general public.  Billboards, social media, television, spots before theatrical films, and radio will all be utilized to communicate this message.  Schools will have access to this material as well.

A documentary will be made citing not only what these drugs are but their dangers with stories and facts from scientists, law enforcement, and families who have lost loved ones.  According to KFF, and independent resource of health news, the death toll from opioid related overdoses in 2020 were over 68,ooo.  According to the CDC, 107,375 people in the United States died of drug overdoses and drug poisonings in the 12-month period ending in January 2022.  A staggering 67 percent of those deaths involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl.  Some of these deaths were attributed to fentanyl mixed with other illicit drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, with many users unaware they were taking fentanyl. Only two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose; it’s particularly dangerous for someone who does not have a tolerance to opioids. This film will be made available for free to state and educational offices that join the support of the project. 

“Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.  “Fentanyl is everywhere.  From large metropolitan areas to rural America, no community is safe from this poison.  We must take every opportunity to spread the word to prevent fentanyl-related overdose death and poisonings from claiming scores of American lives every day.”

Fentanyl poising is everywhere, teens through people in their 50’s are dying from the poising of this drug. All walks of life are affected and, in all states, and it is not without noting that the larger the population the larger the death toll. 

The specifics of the psa’s will be two categories:  the first is celebrities warning of the dangers of this poison pill with a factoid in the spot, but the basic message is, “This pill is highly dangerous and many times more powerful than even heroine. Is it worth your life?  One pill kills, so just don’t.”  

The second category is Fentanyl facts, Doctors, law enforcement and parents of people that have died. The beginning will be a short story, then messages from a doctor, a law enforcement officer and/or a parent.  Doctor: “It only takes a couple of grams of Fentanyl to be deadly,” “Opioids kill people by slowing the rate of breathing and the depth of breathing,” says medical toxicologist and emergency physician Andrew Stolbach of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Parent: “My son just stopped breathing. By the time the emt’s got to him, he had already stopped breathing and was gone from us.  Why?  Don’t take a chance with your life, ONE PILL KILLS.  SO JUST DON”T ”

Another spot will be law enforcement. Officer: “Drug cartels and dealers are killing off our youth.  There is a planned agenda.  Fentanyl, especially illicit synthesized fentanyl, can come in the form of liquids, powder, and pills.  It is more powerful than heroine and morphine.  Unregulated, it is almost like taking cyanide, it is that dangerous. Drug dealers are lacing other drugs and even money with it.  They want your addiction.  The illicit drugs are not regulated and can be way over a lethal dose.  Is it worth your life?” “ONE PILL KILLS, SO JUST DON’T.” 

All the spots and print materials will have a state toll free number for addiction help. 

Drug busts are happening every day but so are the deaths from this poison. If this information can get into the heads of those who might choose to take this drug, they might reconsider, and we might save lives, which is our goal.  We do not have the luxury of time or of watering down the facts and the warning.  Like Scared Strait program did for kids choosing a life of crime did and Mothers against Drunk Driving did, we have to take a stance of hard facts that will make a person think before taking opioids.  Therefor the tag line of ONE PILL KILLS, SO JUST DON’T, is a powerful, simple, and succinct message and directive. 

Palette Productions, a department of Artists For Community Transformation, EIN 26-2966063, is a nonprofit production and media company that assists many nonprofits with their media messages, productions and events.  In this case, we have chosen to take on this enemy ourselves and are looking for partners to help fund and support with information, distribution and, I hate to use the term merchandise, but things people use every day to get in the face of others like coffee cups, pens, bumper stickers, hats, t-shirts.  This needs to be as big a campaign as possible, nationally.  Palette has two giving platforms; one is a donor advised fund under the Signatry for large donations and complex asset giving. https://give.idonate.com/the-signatry-foundation/palette-productions   and through Giving Fuel directly to the nonprofit for cash only funds. https://artistsforcommunity.givingfuel.com/pallet-productions

Thank you for your consideration of assisting with this campaign.  Any help is welcome, introductions, information, manufacturing, donations…all are welcome.  Our goal and mission are to help save lives and stop this epidemic.  As I was speaking with one police chief, we talked about the fact that if we take away the market for the drug dealers, they will have no one to sell to. 

With great respect,

Michael G. Carnes

Owner/Executive Producer, Palette Productions 

mcarnesproducer@gmail.com