Fentanyl is one of the most vital issues facing high school students today
Fentanyl caused 1 in 5 deaths among CA 15-24 year olds in 2021. Over the past 3 years, opioid use has seen a dramatic increase in usage by high school-aged students. Brightly colored Fentanyl, referred to as “rainbow” Fentanyl, is circulating and has been mistaken for candy. The inclusion of Fentanyl into other drugs is somewhat new, so public awareness is generally low regarding just how deadly tiny doses can be. In fact, among teenagers, overdose deaths linked to synthetic opioids like Fentanyl tripled in the past two years, yet 73% have never heard of fake prescription pills being made with Fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that was traditionally used for pain relief in hospitals. Since it is cheap and simple to make, Fentanyl is now in the street drug market as a cheap filler, which is why there has been a huge increase in drug-related deaths since it only takes the size of a few grains of sand for it to be lethal.
In 2021, there were 224 Fentanyl-related overdose deaths among teens, ages 15–19 years old in California, and in 2022, a San Diego Unified high school student survived an opioid overdose on school grounds because of Narcan administration. Nasal Naloxone (brand name Narcan) can reverse an opioid overdose. The Naloxone Distribution Project provides free Naloxone to schools and universities at no cost. On October 11, 2022, the SDUSD Board, prompted by student leaders, executed a resolution to ensure that Narcan was available at all district campuses and that school police officers, nurses, health office staff, and other staff on campus are trained to administer it at district school sites. It also resolved to provide multilingual educational materials via social media, email, and websites to the school and extended community and will participate in National Fentanyl Awareness Day on May 9, 2023.
Students must be proactive and push this issue to the forefront of conversations about students’ health and wellness by working with their private schools or districts to improve awareness around the dangers of Fentanyl and the available free access to lifesaving Narcan. Students should talk to their principals, student governments, and superintendents to insist on participation in Fentanyl Awareness Day on May 9.
On March 9, 2022, the DEA said, “...Fentanyl is killing Americans at an unprecedented rate…save lives by talking to your friends and family about the dangers.” Ensuring middle and high school students, as well as teachers, administrators, and the extended community, have the most up-to-date information will help prevent unnecessary tragedies. By insisting that Narcan is on campus readily available and in the hands of trained staff members, we can and will save lives.
Aiden Kleinman is a high school senior in San Diego and has been actively involved, as part of his school’s leadership team, in issues affecting San Diego youth. He is the leadership chair of the Next Gen Politics chapter at La Jolla High School. Last year he authored, lobbied, and passed two San Diego Unified School District resolutions one on Opioid Awareness/Prevention and Narcan distribution and the other on Support for Youth Voter Engagement.