Miss Teen Colorado Maddie Coombes: Leading the Fight for a Fentanyl Free Future

In this powerful episode of the Nobody’s Perfect podcast, we have the privilege of speaking with Miss Teen Colorado, Maddie Coombes, who is taking bold steps to combat the fentanyl crisis through her Community Service Initiative, Fentanyl Free Futures. At only 16 years old, Maddie has been deeply affected by the loss of several fellow students in her community due to fentanyl overdoses, sparking her mission to save lives and educate others on the dangers of this deadly drug.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than morphine, is now a leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S. With 84% of fentanyl-related deaths involving users unknowingly consuming the drug, Maddie realized that education is crucial in preventing further loss. In this episode, Maddie explains how her initiative, Fentanyl Free Futures, focuses on spreading awareness among students, parents, teachers, and community leaders about the lethal risks associated with fentanyl-laced counterfeit drugs.

One of Maddie’s most effective tools for outreach is her Fentanyl Free Fridays social media campaign, where every Friday, she shares important facts and calls to action about fentanyl. These posts help her reach a broad audience, encouraging conversations and spreading crucial information about fentanyl prevention. As she puts it, education is the first step to creating a fentanyl-free future.

In addition to education, Maddie is working to expand access to Narcan (naloxone), a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of a fentanyl overdose. She plans to partner with Overdose Lifeline’s youth program to become a certified Narcan trainer, with hopes of distributing it in a discreet, free, and accessible way to students, professionals, and public spaces throughout Colorado.

Maddie’s initiative is only weeks away from becoming a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, which will allow her to expand her work even further. She plans to use her platform as Miss Teen Colorado to forge partnerships with school districts, community organizations, and local leaders to ensure that the life-saving education and tools provided by Fentanyl Free Futures reach as many people as possible.

In this episode, Maddie shares her passion for preventing further tragedies from fentanyl overdoses and her unwavering commitment to protecting her peers and community. Tune in to hear how Maddie’s initiative is making a real difference and how you can help support her vision for a Fentanyl Free Future.

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