Fentanyl Awareness

 

fentanyl pencil DEADJUSD prioritizes student safety and keeping families informed about the risks associated with synthetic drugs, including fentanyl. This page provides required annual information for parents and guardians regarding fentanyl, counterfeit pills, and the use of social media platforms to market and sell dangerous substances, in accordance with California Education Code 48985.5 and DJUSD Board Policy 5131.6.


The Fentanyl Crisis is Real

 

Deaths from fake pills containing fentanyl are surging across California and the country. Teens may purchase what they think are OxyContin, Percocet or Xanax pills via social media, but drug dealers are making these fake pills with the cheaper, stronger and more deadly synthetic drug called fentanyl to increase their profits. 

fake xanax DEA

The fake pills look like their pharmaceutical counterparts, but they are not pharmaceutical-grade painkillers. There is no quality control. Pills in the same batch can have widely varying levels of fentanyl.

Fentanyl is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It is odorless, tasteless and colorless. The amount of fentanyl needed to overdose and die is equivalent to two grains of sand. One pill can kill.

Officials say that young people find pills especially appealing because they are cheap, more socially acceptable than meth or heroin, and do not have a tell-tale smell like alcohol or marijuana.

Data from the California Department of Health (CDPH) Overdose Surveillance Dashboard


What Families Should Know

Many overdoses involving youth occur after taking counterfeit pills that are made to look like legitimate prescription medications such as oxycodone (Percocet), alprazolam (Xanax), or other pain or anxiety medications.

  • counterfeit pills may look identical to real prescription pills
  • rainbow fentanyl also exists as powder and blocks that resemble candy, crayons, or sidewalk chalk
  • counterfeit pills may contain unknown or deadly amounts of fentanyl
  • pills obtained from friends, social media, or online sources are never safe.

There is no reliable way to tell if a pill contains fentanyl without laboratory testing. Here's what you can do to help:

  • safely store and properly dispose of prescription medications at home
  • have regular and open conversations to educate your student about the risks 
  • monitor your student's social media use
  • discuss the risks of online drug marketing and social media interactions because drugs are often offered by someone your student knows or met on social media
  • encourage kids to seek help from a trusted adult if they encounter unsafe situations online. 
Fentapill Info Page
Conversation Starters
opens in new window
Signs Of Drug Use In Teenagers

It’s especially important for families to have a conversation with their teenager about drugs if they notice any signs of drug use or abuse, which may include:

  • dramatic changes in mood or behavior
  • a new friend group
  • spending a lot of time alone or with new friends
  • weight loss or gain or other changes in appearance
  • reduced interest in hobbies and other activities they enjoy
  • feeling unable to stop or control drug use.
If you notice a change, ask about it. Trust your instincts.
Visit Yolo County Substance Use Disorder Services for local counseling, intervention, and treatment options.
Social Media and Online Drug Marketing

Social media platforms are increasingly used to market and sell counterfeit pills and other synthetic drugs, including fentanyl. These activities often occur in ways that are difficult for adults to see. Common tactics include:

  • drug sales disguised using slang, emojis, or coded language
  • posts or stories that disappear after a short time
  • accounts posing as peers or trusted sources
  • moving conversations quickly into private messages or encrypted apps
  • students may be exposed to drug-related content even if they are not searching for it.

emoji decoder DEA
Opioid Antagonists on Campus

Students 12 years of age or older, while on a school site or participating in school activities, may carry fentanyl test strips and may carry and administer a naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray or any other opioid overdose reversal medication that is federally approved for over-the counter nonprescription use for the purpose of providing emergency treatment to persons who are suffering, or reasonably believed to be suffering, from an opioid overdose. (Education Code 49414.35 and 49414.6)

Naloxonarcan imagene (Narcan) is a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose when given promptly. It is administered as a nasal spray and is effective in reversing overdoses involving fentanyl, prescription opioids, counterfeit pills, kratom, or heroin. Effects typically begin within two to three minutes and may last 30 to 90 minutes; in some cases, additional doses may be needed.

Naloxone does not have an effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system.

Naloxone emergency kits are available on every DJUSD school site attached to all automated external defibrillators (AEDs). AEDs with naloxone kits attached are marked with signage and are checked monthly and restocked as needed. Naloxone kits are not taken on field trips or distributed to students. See our Medical Emergency Programs page for more information.

Recognizing a Possible Overdose

A suspected overdose is a medical emergency. Signs may include:

  • unresponsiveness or inability to wake
  • slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
  • gurgling or snoring sounds
  • Pale, cold, clammy skin
  • blue or gray lips, skin, or nails
  • very small (pinpoint) pupils.

Emergency Response

If an overdose is suspected, give naloxone (if available) and call 911 immediately. Stay with the person until help arrives. Even if naloxone is effective, opioids can remain in the body for hours, and symptoms may return. More than one dose may be necessary. Emergency medical personnel are trained to provide further care.

Resources