A suspected Fentanyl overdose at Acalanes High School in Lafayette was reversed by the emergency application of Narcan during a scary moment on campus Friday, the afflicted student revived and taken to a local hospital for additional treatment.
Although few in any official capacity would address the incident on the record, the overdose illustrates the potentially lethal qualities of a drug which has made its presence known in the Bay Area for some time.
The afflicted teen was reportedly using paraphernalia to smoke the drug or one containing suspected Fentanyl when they collapsed. Other students reportedly summoned school officials and medical personnel were able to administer the opioid-countering agent Narcan. Firefighters, specially trained police officers and other first responders arrived on campus at 10:07 a.m.
While not the first Bay Area OD involving teens and use of the drug, Friday’s incident is believed to be a first for Lamorinda. Ironically, the incident followed a cautionary advisory sent to “AUHSD Parents & Guardians” just yesterday, Jan. 13, asking that restraint be exercised by parents of student athletes attending school sporting events.
The letter, issued by District Superintendent John Nickerson, read in part:
“Our school administrators share concern that a rise last year and this year in unruly parent spectator behavior might be associated with a perceived increase in parents coming to events intoxicated. Unfortunately, this fall we have had several instances during athletic events at all of our schools of inappropriate behavior by parents under the influence of alcohol/substances. When parents are out of control and causing a disruption, everyone loses: the team, the spectators, the athlete of the intoxicated parent, and the parent themselves.”
A synthetic opioid, Fentanyl is often mixed into other substances like heroin and cocaine, exponentially increasing the drug’s potency. Users may encounter a deadly dose of fentanyl without realizing they’ve taken it, which has led to a rise in overdose rates all over the country. Taking fentanyl without a prescription in any way could be potentially life-threatening. But snorting and smoking it may be particularly dangerous, officials warn.
The Superintendent’s letter (which I received) and the student’s near overdose are not related, and were not meant to be related. Different issues, not correlated.
In addition, my AUHSD student told me that – per the rumor mill – the culprit here was Molly (MDMA) laced with Fentanyl. So there’s that to worry about, if you have a kid in high school. To paraphrase and modify The Who, the kids are not alright.
Sure, let’s not hold China accountable for it’s manufacture and let’s have open borders with Mexico for it’s importation, this is the view of the liberals in the Bay Area.
So glad for this young teen, another chance at life.
Firestone 11R
Is there no article or event you won’t interrupt with your agenda?
No.
Firestone 11R
Okay, you Feisty Firestone guy, Tim’s comment invited a response.
But seriously, all, one of the things our readers dislike the most is repetition of themes and stances and brewing flame wars and such. We understand it can be human nature to indulge the inner cage brawler but we have and will take steps to preserve the neighborly, informative direction we like to see our comment threads take.
That is all, 10-4, Over and Out.
NEWS24/680
The Chinese and Mexicans are not coming over here and force feeding us fentanyl. We are creating demand on our own that will be filled from either inside or outside our country as long as we choose to be customers. Also, our government, regardless of political party, has never successfully addressed a drug crisis (in fact they have initiated them at times). Blaming liberals just serves to divide us further and keeps us from solving the crisis as a united community.
Thank you. Yes. Knowing this site I’m sure they’re asking the questions we’re all asking but it doesn’t sound like they’re getting answers. If this is in the schools (and it looks like it is) I want to know where it’s coming from.
why are they using it in school!
Yeah, let’s hold China and Mexico accountable for our decades and decades of failed “war on drug” policies. If we just build more prisons, surely it will work this time. We just aren’t harsh enough! Lock those youngsters up!!
Insanity! Empty-headed, fifty-year-old “just say no” sloganeering.
We have seen your preferred policies again and again. We have seen the results: prison populations unmatched anywhere in the free world, and not a dent in the problem. Insanity.
Glad they were able to bring her back. Hopefully this becomes one of those teachable moments they are always talking about.
But America and Americans need to look to THEMSELVES for much of this problem. There is little doubt where the poison is coming from but Xi and the Mexican cartels are not holding guns to our heads and making us inject or smoke their product.
using drugs in school?!
If you’re doing drugs, you need to take responsibility yourself. Blaming the country or the drug dealers is like blaming Budweiser or McDonald’s for alcoholism and obesity.
There’s a great big second chance for someone to get. I hope they make good use of it.
There is far, FAR too much information about the medical condition of a minor in this article. Give this family some privacy.
I thought there wasn’t ENOUGH information given about a potentially life threatening incident at a local school. Funny how it works.
I carry Narcan and took a class on administering it. You just never know.
Kudos. We’ll admit we’re not carrying any in our Go Bag at present but we may have to re-think that.
We have seen it utilized many times, with dramatic effect.
As for “You just never know..” we totally agree.
NEWS24/680
But they need to stop using drugs! age of reason is 7. you are responsible for your own behavior.
I suppose so, but depression, addiction is a real thing, and so is the human condition. What bright future do you see for this unfortunate person that s/he did not? Or is that even relevant in your view? Is it simply his/her decision to make at age 7, if that is the age of reason, as you suggest. I, surely, do not have an answer.
“Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.”
Andre Gide
Hopefully there’s an investigation underway. I’d sure like to know how they’re getting those drugs. I guess it’s naive to think we’re immune to the problems of the world here but it’s surprising that drugs of that type are being used.
@MB – Most likely from other kids in town.
Newsflash: Our enterprising local delinquents (perhaps even your kids, dear readers) seek out far flung wholesale suppliers. Our budding procurement professionals then hoc their illicit wares at a substantial retail markup. Plenty of their well-heeled, insular peers are quite keen to pay premium prices to avoid associating directly with hardened criminals upstream.
Let’s not be so quick to demonize “outsider” middlemen for our own kids’ stupid choices.
I believe that is “hawk” ad hoc.
Indeed, you are correct, David.
Good thing the school had Narcan. All schools should have it readily available. Ask your school if they have it on hand. Also, most schools do a terrible job of drug education. That needs to change. Our kids deserve real, science-based drug education, not just scare tactics.
Update???
Much much worse than you guys suspected — though you were the first to raise the warning.
Yes, Walter… afraid we conflated similar cases – a sad statement in itself.