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Fentanyl

Read A Letter from the Fresno County District Attorney

In its ongoing partnership with local law agencies to raise awareness of the dangers of fentanyl, Clovis Unified is providing informative resources for parents, students and families.

Killer High: The Silent Crisis (Documentary)
An ABC30 documentary on Fentanyl – KILLER HIGH: The Silent Crisis – premiered locally on Saturday, Sep. 25, and features our law enforcement partners and the District Attorney.
Air dates are as follows:

  • - 9/19: Streaming begins on the ABC30 app on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV and Amazon Fire TV.
  • 9/25: Airs on ABC30 (Fresno) at 10PM.
  • 9/25: Airs on ABC7 Bay Area and ABC7 Los Angeles at 9PM.
  • 9/26: Airs on FX at 7AM.
  • 11/10: Airs on National Geographic at 11PM. In addition to airing on the actual channel, it will also stream on Nat Geo’s app.

The trailer can be viewed at this link.

Parent Bulletins
The September 2022 and March 2021 issues of Clovis Unified's Parent Bulletin provide information about what fentanyl is, where it comes from, and how parents can talk with their students about it. These Parent Bulletins can be viewed at the links below.
Sept. 2022: New & Deadly - One Fentanyl Exposure Can Kill (PDF)  (RTF)
Mar. 2021: Fentanyl Abuse on the Rise Among Youth (PDF)  (RTF)

On-Campus Resources

Students can turn to the following supports on-campus:

  • School Psychologists
  • Mental Health Support Provider
  • School Nurse
  • School Counselor
  • Transitions Team
  • Trusted Teacher/Coach/Adult
  • Peer Counselors

Additional Resources

A Letter from the Fresno County District Attorney

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Summer is an optimal time for teens to relax, vacation with their families, attend summer camps or gain work experience. However, summer is not the time for parents to let their guard down about the real dangers of fentanyl in our community.

Since 2018, the County of Fresno has lost 288 lives to this poison.  One life lost to fentanyl is too many. 288 is unspeakable. 

During the last two and a half years in my role as your District Attorney, I prioritized educating every community group, school, and parent on the reality of what fentanyl is and why it’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen. 
The message does not stop once the PowerPoint presentation is done, which is why it’s imperative that the conversation about fentanyl continues between you and your children. 

Every parent should know these six facts about the dangers of fentanyl and how to prevent fentanyl use:

  1. Monitor Social Media Platforms:  
    Most of the fentanyl pills and powder are being sold on social media platforms. Apps such as Snapchat, What’s App, Twitch, Instagram, etc. should be actively monitored for any signs of dealers reaching out to your child. Different lingo is used to solicit buyers with phrases such as “M30, percs, blues, tango and cash, and xannie bars.” 
     
  2. Be Aware of Their Social Circles: 
    Know who your children are associating with during the summer. Look for changes in friend groups or certain behaviors.
     
  3. Signs and Symptoms of Fentanyl Use: 
    Look for signs such as drowsiness, sedation, confusion, disorientation, slurred speech, pin-point pupils, change in sleeping patterns, lack of good hygiene, unkept bedrooms and withdrawal. Often, young adults are found deceased from fentanyl poisoning while they are laying in their beds where their family members believed they were just listening to music, playing video games or sleeping.
     
  4. Influence of Vaping and Marijuana Use: 
    Based on investigations and interviews, vaping and marijuana use cause anxiety due to the higher THC levels found in marijuana today. This increased anxiety leads the user to seek out drugs such as Xanax.  Sadly, the “Xanax” they receive is a fake one laced with fentanyl.  
     
  5. Naloxone aka “Narcan”: 
    This medication is used to reverse an opioid/fentanyl overdose, and if administered timely, can prevent a death. We encourage all parents to keep Narcan on hand, not only for their own children, but also for others who may be users and visiting your residence.
     
  6. Cash Apps:
    Users purchase drugs using cash apps such as Venmo and Zelle. The average price for a counterfeit pill is $5-10.  Parents should monitor all cash apps and should be aware that dealers will often deliver the pill(s), which are easily concealed, directly to the user’s home and simply drop it off in a location where it is undetected and easily accessible to the user.

Together, through effective education and awareness resources, we can save lives.

Even if substance use is the last thing you think you need to worry about with your child, perhaps an open conversation and their awareness could help save a life.

For more information and resources visit: Fentanyl Danger in Fresno County and Dangers of Fentanyl & Treatment Resources. 

We wish you a safe and memory-filled summer!

Lisa A. Smittcamp 

 

Vaping

Parent Bulletin: Teens & Vaping: What Parents Need to Know

The Nov. 2018 issue of Clovis Unified's Parent Bulletin focused on vaping, how it affects teens, and pointers for parents to begin a conversation with their child.

Teens & Vaping: What Parents Need to Know (PDF)

Teens & Vaping: What Parents Need to Know (RTF)

 

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