In a decisive response to the escalating opioid crisis affecting the young population, Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland have sanctioned the carriage of Narcan, a life-saving opioid antagonist, on school premises.
This new regulation, signed into effect on May 1, permits students to possess “personally obtained” Narcan, an emergency medication that reverses the deadly effects of an opioid overdose.
During this year alone, there have been 15 instances where Narcan was dispensed to students in Montgomery County. This grim statistic sheds light on the urgent necessity for such a policy.
The Community Engagement Officer, Captain Jordan Satinsky, in conversation with WTOP News, a Maryland and DC-based news service, highlighted the perilous trend of fentanyl’s increased presence in drugs.
The youth, he stated, are not oblivious to this fact. However, they might underestimate its lethal potential. “They just don’t understand that it’s almost like Russian roulette.”, he said.
Related: Police Union Director Arrested After Allegedly Distributing Thousands of Fentanyl Pills from China
In a press conference held the previous month, Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones pointed out a worrying trend. While adult overdoses in the region are witnessing a decline, a stark contrast is visible in the rising numbers of juvenile overdoses.
The Montgomery County Public Safety Committee was presented with startling data in February. According to the committee’s report, adolescent overdoses (under age 21) rose by a shocking 77% in 2022.
Montgomery County witnessed 48 adolescent overdoses in 2022, a significant leap from the 27 cases recorded in 2021.
Battalion Chief Benjamin Kaufman with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue revealed to WTOP News that the response teams are tackling approximately 60 opiate overdoses monthly. This figure encompasses all ages and locations, not merely schools.
Related: Washington’s ‘Most Hippie’ Town Outlaws Drugs After Wake of Child Deaths and Skyrocketing Overdoses
In an effort to alleviate fears about carrying Narcan at school, Dr. Patricia Kapunan, medical officer, issued a message. “If they are carrying Narcan in school, we want to let them know that they’re not going to get in trouble for that,” Dr. Kapunan said.
Elena Suarez, a grieving mother whose 19-year-old daughter succumbed to an overdose, issued a potent warning about the omnipresence of fentanyl in today’s drugs. She stated, “What you leave behind is a web of grief, and a life sentence for your families and your loved ones.”
Despite repeated attempts, Montgomery County Public Schools have yet to respond to requests for comments from the Daily Caller News Foundation, thus leaving some questions unanswered about the policy’s broader implications.