Fentanyl use — especially among young people — is a growing health problem around the country and in Montgomery County. That is why Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in partnership with the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations is holding an event called Family Forum on Fentanyl & Life Saving Narcan Training on Saturday, Jan. 28th at Clarksburg High School. Health leaders are urging parents, students, and staff to attend.
The panel discussion will run from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Panelists will share important information about this dangerous drug and organizers will provide Narcan training. Narcan, also known as naloxone, is an FDA-approved medicine used to rapidly reverse a narcotic overdose.
“It’s very easy to administer, we have it already in every single school in Montgomery County. So we want to make sure people know that this is an emergency resource that they can have free training on, and keep in their home,” Dr. Patricia Kapunan, Montgomery County Public Schools Medical Officer said.
“Certainly if you have opioids in your house that are prescribed, you should also have Narcan, especially if you’re chronically taking opioids for pain or another medical condition. But I encourage every parent to learn about Narcan so he or she can make a decision about whether that is something they need or want to keep in their house,” Kapunan added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in December an alarming statistic: nearly 107,000 people died of drug overdoses in 2021. That is a 16% increase from 2020 when 92,000 people died. The CDC says in 2021, two thirds of the overdose deaths were linked to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
MCPS released sobering statistics at a news conference on Jan. 19th. The number of students overdosing in the county has jumped from 27 in 2021 to 48 in 2022. That is a 78% increase. The number of deaths has more than doubled from five to 11 during this time.
Montgomery County State’s Attorney, John McCarthy says about 90% of the overdose deaths in the county are fentanyl related.
“You don’t have to be a drug addict to die of an overdose. One out of every four pills sold on the black market has enough fentanyl to kill you. Kids need to know that, parents need to know that,” McCarthy said.
Health experts have long sounded the alarm about the potential deadly consequences of fentanyl use. However, some times, people are not even aware fentanyl is present when they are using other drugs.
“We have seen fentanyl laced marijuana, fentanyl laced prescription pills. Not only is fentanyl deadly in a single dose because very small amounts are powerful, but someone might think they are using another drug and not know they are exposed to it. So that can cause a bad outcome,” Kapunan said.
School superintendent, Dr. Monifa McKnight, said students need to start making better choices and parents need to make sure they are paying close attention to their children, especially if they notice any changes in behavior. The upcoming event at Clarksburg High School is just one example in an overall school strategy to bring awareness to the problem of substance abuse in the county.
“It’s hard to wrap your brain around substance use. It’s hard to ask for help if you’re struggling, so the more people know about it, understand it as a potential problem, the better able they will be to offer help when needed and be prepared to act should something devastating occur to someone that you love,” Kapunan explained. She said she hopes more awareness will “reduce the stigma around substance use. I hope it will make parents and youth feel more empowered to have these discussions,” Kapunan added.
The County and the school system are hoping to arrange more informational events in the future. Meantime, parents and students who cannot attend the ‘Family Forum on Fentanyl & Life Saving Narcan Training’ in person have the option to watch the event online.
