"Rising Teen Fentanyl Overdoses: Urgent Call for Naloxone in Schools"
A new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine reveals that a record number of high school teens died of drug overdoses in 2022, primarily due to fentanyl poisonings from counterfeit pills. The death rate for drug overdoses among teens has more than doubled since 2018, with at least 75% of adolescent drug overdose deaths attributed to fentanyl poisonings. The trend has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Arizona, Colorado, and Washington identified as hotspot states. Experts recommend discussing the dangers of counterfeit pills with teens and keeping overdose reversal medicine readily available at home, while also emphasizing frank conversations about risk reduction strategies for those experimenting with drugs.
