COAST TO COAST in NYC: Families Turn Times Square Into a Call for Fentanyl Awareness

August 21 marked National Fentanyl Prevention & Awareness Day, and in New York’s Times Square, families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl gathered for a powerful press conference. Towering billboards displayed the faces of their children, turning one of the world’s busiest intersections into a memorial and a call for action.

I caught up with Richard Taite, founder and executive chairman of Carrara Treatment, a luxury treatment and wellness center, and host of the We’re Out of Time podcast (ranked #1 in Mental Health on Apple Podcasts), along with Greg Swan, co-founder of Fentanyl Fathers and Angel Army. That same day, Taite released a special episode with Swan and Dr. Gary Latson, highlighting their mission to bring fentanyl awareness into every school in America.

Swan explains, “When bereaved parents walk into schools, kids listen. They are the lynchpin of delivering the message and are really good at recognizing authenticity.”

Taite underscores the need for a comprehensive fight against fentanyl: “This fentanyl crisis, you have to deal with it in a holistic approach. It has to be treatment, it has to be awareness, it has to be prevention. It has to be through changes in the law. It has to do with the border.” He adds, “The president is getting it right because he’s checking this stuff right off a list. And that’s why I call him the fentanyl president.”

The Times Square event, the podcast episode, and the families’ growing movement are all rooted in one shared goal—to save lives by spreading awareness.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available:
Carrara Treatment Wellness & Spa, a luxury rehab center
1 Method Center an insurance-friendly program offering comprehensive care
Call/text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for immediate support
SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP), a free, confidential 24/7 line for drug and alcohol treatment referrals and information