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Governor Abbott highlights success of “One Pill Kills” fentanyl awareness campaign, doubling initial projections

Dallas, Texas – Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that the “One Pill Kills” multimedia campaign has received 1.5 billion impressions its start in September 2023. This number highlights the great influence and reach of the campaign since it almost twice exceeded the initial projections. Aiming to further inform the public on the risks of fentanyl, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) intends to keep this important public awareness campaign running through August 2025.

Starting amid growing worries over fentanyl-related deaths, the “One Pill Kills” campaign aims to address what Governor Abbott notes as “the single deadliest drug crisis our state—and our nation—has ever experienced.” Using social media, podcasts, digital displays, and billboards among other media outlets, this public health campaign conveys the fatal risks connected with fentanyl use.

“Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug crisis our state—and our nation—has ever encountered,” said Governor Abbott.

“As part of our ‘One Pill Kills’ campaign, I announced last year a statewide multimedia initiative to educate Texans on the dangers of fentanyl and raise awareness to help save lives. Through HHSC’s ongoing efforts, we have been able to reach millions of Texans through social media, billboards, TV and radio, and other media to remind people that just one pill laced with fentanyl can take a life. Texas will continue this initiative throughout next year to ensure more Texans aren’t ripped away from their families. Working together, we will protect more innocent lives from being lost to the scourge of fentanyl,” he added per the announcement.

exas Governor Greg Abbott said that the "One Pill Kills" multimedia campaign has received 1.5 billion impressions its start in September 2023
Courtesy of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott via X

Trina Ita, HHSC Deputy Executive Commissioner of Behavioral Health Services, reinforced the campaign’s mission.

“We can save lives by educating people about the risks of fentanyl and the fact that even one pill can kill,” said Ita. “Our goal is to prevent fentanyl poisonings and keep families from losing loved ones.”

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Additional money totaling $2.5 million has been set aside to support and increase the outreach activities into the 2025 fiscal year since the campaign’s announcement at the One Pill Kills Summit in April 2023. Along with more conventional techniques like billboards and broadcast media, the campaign extensively uses the internet and print media to reach a varied audience across Texas. Particularly high school and college students, vulnerable groups are under special focus thanks to customized marketing meant to appeal to younger groups.

For more focused campaign activities, the HHSC has also singled out counties with the greatest rates of fentanyl-related mortality. Among others are big counties such Bexar, Dallas, and Harris. By means of deliberate placement of public service announcements and instructional materials, the campaign seeks to maximize impact where most needed.

The HHSC is also working with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio to oversee Naloxone Texas, a program that not only supplies naloxone—a life-saving medication able to undo the effects of a fentanyl overdose—but also provides training on proper usage of it.

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The campaign invites to visit OnePillKillsTX.com for those looking for more information or tools connected to fentanyl safety and prevention. This website provides direction on how to protect loved ones and oneself from the dangers of fentanyl so that the “One Pill Kills” campaign’s message permeates Texas and beyond.

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