SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — Some drugs are not what people think and taking them can end in tragedy. Some mothers in South Carolina know from personal experience the dangers of fake pills.
"My son took one pill and he dropped dead to his knees, and that’s how I found him," Luanne Dwyer told WCNC Charlotte's Tradesha Woodard.
Melissa Anderko not only lost her twin sister, but she also lost her 16-year-old son to fentanyl.
"The person who sold these pills is just probably somewhere swimming in pools and my son is in a box in my living room," Anderko said.
Christina Settlemyer is another mom who lost her son to fake pills. "I feel like I'm serving a lifetime sentence," she said.
The stories are similar, and it's impacting different families. That's why some families in South Carolina are pushing for tougher fentanyl drug laws.
"We got to get some laws in place where if you sell drugs and take a life, you face consequences," Settlemyer said.
Death by Distribution is already law in North Carolina. Now, some families in South Carolina are encouraging lawmakers to pass the same kind of law in their state.
Many of them said they're using their own story no matter how difficult in hopes of saving a life.
"People that are dealing these drugs need to suffer and get life sentences because they took a life," Dwyer said.
A death-by-distribution bill was introduced in South Carolina but did not make it through the session this year. Families are hoping to have the community's support as they continue to push for change.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
If your loved one was impacted by this incident, WCNC Charlotte hopes to make this process less painful with our More Than A Number initiative. With your help, we want to share who your loved one was with our viewers in North Carolina and South Carolina. When you're ready, fill out the form below or send us photos, memories and other details about them to desk@wcnc.com.