LOS ANGELES — In Manhattan Beach, Samuel Chapman is surrounded by the memories of his son, Sammy, who tragically died at just 16 years old due to fentanyl poisoning in 2021. 

Sammy, like many teens, had been using social media to stay connected, but a deadly interaction on social media would change the course of his family’s life forever.

“He died when he was 16,” Chapman said, recalling how Sammy’s brother found him on the day of his death.

The poison that claimed Sammy’s life was delivered right to their home, following a connection he made with a dealer on social media. 

Chapman explained that the dealer had reached out to Sammy with an offer from a colorful drug menu, promising something free. It was delivered like a pizza after the family had gone to sleep. They discovered Sammy the next morning, unresponsive.

“We tried to resuscitate him, but we failed,” his father said.

Now, the Chapman family is focused on advocacy, hoping to prevent other families from suffering a similar fate.

Chapman is pushing for the passage of SB 976, a California bill aimed at protecting children from dangerous social media algorithms that have been linked to harmful behaviors. 

The bill would also create safeguards for users under 17, including time limits on social-media use.

“Our phones for our children are lethal,” Chapman said, pointing out that social media platforms, designed to be addictive, are not sufficiently regulated. 

According to the CDC, drug overdoses became the third leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. between 2019 and 2021. In 2022 alone, an average of 22 teenagers died from drug overdoses each week. Samuel, along with other advocates, believes SB 976 is crucial to changing these statistics. 

Now, Chapman hopes to turn his family’s tragedy into meaningful change.

“It’s a hard road,” he said, and he’s determined to ensure that no other family has to experience the pain his family has endured.