About MAPDA
The story of MAPDA begins with the tragic deaths of three adolescents who each lost their lives to an accidental overdose. These grieving mothers united to form a powerful response to preventable deaths, coming together as Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse. Later on, we broadened our focus to address the Ilicit drug supple and updated our name to Mothers for Awareness and Prevention of Drug Abuse. Knowing the facts is not enough. One mother fighting alone cannot change a platform, a retailer, or a legislature. But when mothers against drugs unite, they can make a difference.
We fight for families and communities through awareness, education, and prevention to protect children from the substance abuse epidemic before it begins. MAPDA advances policy solutions and recognizes leaders shaping healthier, safer communities.
We are an organization of fighting-mad moms dedicated to protecting children from the dangers of addiction. We identify the specific forces putting kids at risk — the social media platforms that algorithmically serve drug content to teenagers, THC retailers marketing gummies to kids, counterfeit pill networks operating openly through Instagram and Snapchat, and the legislative gaps that provide bad actors with cover.
We began fighting with pharmaceutical companies selling prescription opioids to kids. Through our efforts and collaboration with others, we made a difference. We won.
The threats facing our kids today are different from what we experienced. With organizations like MAPDA raising awareness, we see that drugs reach our children earlier, more quietly, and more easily than ever before. Prescription pills are often found at home, while counterfeit pills circulate on social media. Fentanyl is hidden in what looks like medicine, posing a grave risk. This alarming reality is why we are working tirelessly to combat these dangers. This is not the world we grew up in.