Fentanyl Advocate Matt Capelouto Shares Urgent Call for Change and Life-Saving Legislation
LOS ANGELES, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As America marks National Fentanyl Awareness Day on Tuesday, April 29, the We’re Out of Time podcast with addiction recovery leader Richard Taite shines the light on the families and advocates fighting back against the fentanyl crisis and demanding urgent change. This special episode features a powerful conversation with Matt Capelouto, father of Alexandra, who tragically lost his daughter to fentanyl poisoning. The discussion delves into the ongoing fight for stronger legislation, including Alexandra’s Law in California, and the critical need for federal action to hold dealers and social media platforms accountable for enabling the sale of counterfeit pills. Capelouto also discusses the devastating impact fentanyl has on unsuspecting young people, stressing how even teens who aren’t regular drug users are falling victim to this crisis.
In this powerful episode, Richard Taite, founder and executive chairman of Carrara Treatment Wellness, executive chairman of 1 Method, his affordable treatment center, and former founder of Cliffside Malibu, shares why he returned to the frontlines of addiction recovery after years away. As a recovering addict himself, Taite explains how being a father fuels his relentless fight against fentanyl and its devastating impacts. Throughout his career, Taite has helped thousands, including high-risk individuals and celebrities, overcome addiction.
Featured Clips from the Episode:
Matt Capelouto Honors Daughter Alexandra, Lost to Fentanyl
Matt Capelouto shares a moving tribute to his daughter, Alexandra, and how her struggles with depression led to self-medication, ultimately resulting in her tragic death from fentanyl poisoning.
“If you asked Alexandra, she’d say, ‘Everybody is special, not just me.’ She was incredibly smart and witty…she got into college on a full academic scholarship. But she struggled with major depression.” Capelouto adds, “She bore the weight of everybody else’s problems…Ultimately, it led to her self-medicating to deal with this pain.”
‘She thought it was Percocet’: Matt Capelouto on His Daughter’s Fatal Fentanyl Overdose
Matt Capelouto recalls the heartbreaking night when his daughter Alexandra unknowingly took a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl, purchased via Snapchat. “She had spent the day of December 22 Christmas shopping with her mom and it was that night. She went to bed and we found her the next morning.” He adds, “They found a bag with 10 other pills. All these pills, they all contained a very lethal amount of fentanyl.”
Richard Taite and Matt Capelouto Demand Federal Action on Alexandra’s Law
Matt Capelouto advocates for Alexandra’s Law, which holds fentanyl dealers accountable for deaths. He recounts multiple rejections of the bill in California’s Senate and Assembly safety committees, where it was deemed “too harsh.” Richard Taite responds, “A slap on the wrist is too harsh.” Capelouto then shares a card—with the message intended for dealers that warns: sell drugs, kill Americans, go directly to jail.
We’re Out of Time’: Matt Capelouto and Richard Taite Warn Parents About Fentanyl’s Deadly Threat
Richard Taite and Matt Capelouto urge parents to take immediate action against the fentanyl crisis, highlighting the risks even for teens and young adults who aren’t regular drug users.
Capelouto: “I’ve never done drugs in my life, yet somehow drugs upended my life…Parents who think this can’t happen to their family, to their kids have simply forgotten what it’s like to be a teenager.”
Taite: “The people that are active fentanyl users don’t typically die…It’s the kids from college or high school that are not sophisticated at this, they are the ones dying.”
Capelouto: “Kids are making choices like we did, but the drugs have changed… and they’re killing them.”
Taite: “We’re out of time because they’re dying. That’s why this podcast is called We’re Out of Time. [It’s] because of you.”
Richard Taite is available for interviews, expert commentary, and broadcast appearances.
Clip Usage: Clips from We’re Out of Time with Richard Taite podcast are available for use with courtesy to the podcast.
Full Episode Drops Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 29 at 9am PST
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube under We’re Out of Time.
Press & Media Contact:
Lisa Spalla
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Karen Stevens
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About Richard Taite:
Richard Taite is a nationally recognized addiction recovery expert, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate. He is the founder of Cliffside Malibu and serves as founder and executive chairman of Carrara Treatment Wellness & Spa and 1 Method. With over two decades of experience, Taite has guided high-profile clients, clinical teams, and families through successful, long-term recovery. His work has been featured on Real Time with Bill Maher, Elizabeth Vargas Reports, America’s Hope with Kelly Wright, and in Medium. He also hosts the new podcast We’re Out Of Time, where he interviews public figures, experts, and those on the frontlines of the addiction crisis. More press, here.
Podcast Info:
We’re Out of Time with Richard Taite
Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms.
Watch on YouTube: @RichardTaiteOfficial
More info: CarraraTreatment.com
Social Media:
YouTube: @RichardTaiteOfficial
TikTok: richard.taite
Instagram: @RichardTaiteOfficial
SOURCE We’re Out Of Time Podcast
