Guest writer from Purdue Marion & Associates
As our children head back to school and begin their avid planning around social activities like Friday night football, homecoming, and more, it is critical that we have some hard talks with them. In particular, it is time to begin educating them about the lethal risks of fentanyl.
Fentanyl is creating a national crisis. According to experts and local data from January 2018 to July 2022, an estimated 1,412 opioid-related overdose deaths occurred in Clark County, and 46 percent of those died from fentanyl specifically.
Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and more addicting, which is why even a one-time use can be deadly. It only takes a two-milligram dose, similar to 5-7 grains of salt to cause death for an average size adult.
While it is imperative to educate anyone who misuses drugs about the dangers of Fentanyl, middle school and high school-age children are at great risk. Youth at this age have a natural propensity to experiment, the same as every generation before them. However, the danger of this drug makes one choice potentially lethal.
Illegal street drugs, prescription pills and even everyday medications like Tylenol are being made with fentanyl and sold on social media. The DEA estimates that 6 out of every 10 pills on the market have a lethal amount of Fentanyl.
The City of Henderson has created an awareness campaign and website targeted directly to these youth – www.RiskItAllWithFentanyl.com. While this site is written directly to our children, it contains many resources parents can use to begin conversations with their kids. There are videos, fact sheets and even a “train the trainer” guide meant to assist adults in broaching the subject.
The hope is that your children will use the social media assets on the site to share this information with their friends, as we know they most trust their peers. And the ultimate hope is that we save lives.
Visit www.RiskItAllWithFentanyl.com for additional resources and a toolkit to share with your family and friends.
