In an appearance before a Senate Committee, country music star Jelly Roll shared his personal story about the fentanyl epidemic that has been ravaging America for years. The Grammy-nominated singer Jason DeFord, who is also his birth name, spoke openly about drug addictions he had in the past. These problems led him to be convicted on multiple occasions of crimes and sentenced to prison.
Jelly Roll said that he has become an advocate for victims of drug dealers because of his experiences. DeFord testified on Jan. 11, before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee. He cited statistics that showed that 72 percent of people who die from a drug overdose were using fentanyl. This shows how widespread and popular this substance is.
“It’s important to make it clear that I’m a musician, and I don’t have any political affiliation. I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. My right to vote is restricted because of my past,” explained the singer to the committee.
“I have never been interested in a political race before. “Ironically, I believe that makes me the best person to talk about this issue because fentanyl is a drug that transcends ideology and partisanship,” he said.
Breitbart News reports:
Jelly Roll continued to state that fentanyl abuse results in the death of 190 people every day. He noted that this is equivalent to a “737” plane at full capacity.
Imagine the attention that would be given by national media if a plane crashed every day, killing 190 people. We don’t feel this way because there are 190 drug users, but America is known for bullying and shaming drug addicts rather than dealing with the root cause of the problem.
He claims to have frequent contact with “the disease known by the name of addiction.”
The hit singer said during his testimony, “I have attended more funerals that I would like to share with you all. This committee.” “I could cry here for days over the caskets that I have carried, of people who I love deeply and dearly in my heart. Good people. Not only drug addicts.” “One thing led to another and it quickly spiraled out of control.”
People abuse illegal drugs for many reasons, but the most common is a sense of hopelessness or purposelessness. You can be driven to despair if you don’t feel that what you do or who you are matters. These feelings of insecurity can be a result of a major rejection that you have experienced. This rejection could be the result of an abusive parent or spouse, a cheating spouse, divorce, or worse, the death of a child.
No matter how bad things are, there is only one thing that can bring someone out of their misery: God. Many people who are in a place of deep sadness don’t believe in God or know no one who does. Worse, they may be addicted and have no clue where to turn.
Churches in rural areas and the city mix must consider creating programs for people with addiction problems. They should focus on helping those at the core of their pain.
DeFord then shared his experience as a drug dealer, and said that he had made major changes to his life. He told the committee that he is no longer a part of the drug problem, but wants to be a part of solving it.
DeFord said that his wife also suffered from addiction. He added, “Every day I see the victims of drug abuse in my family.”
DeFord’s main motivation for giving testimony to the committee was that he wanted to ask the Senate to vote in favor of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. This bipartisan legislation specifically targets Chinese drug manufacturers and cartels across the southern border of Mexico.
His testimony concluded, “I see fans struggling with this tragedy.” They seek music, solace, and the hope that others won’t suffer from their experience. They want reassurance. You all, these are the people for whom I am here. They want to know that their elected officials care more about the human lives of others than about their ideology or partisanship. “I stand here as an ordinary member of society.”
If more people, like JellyRoll, took a stand to stop the fentanyl epidemic and demanded that President Joe Biden secure the southern border, and build a wall, to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country, the amount of fentanyl brought into the U.S. would drastically decrease, and there would also be far fewer deaths due to overdoses.
