Police: Student treated with Narcan tested negative for opioid exposure
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- There were anxious moments at New Rochelle High School on Monday when a nurse used Narcan to treat a student showing signs of opioid overdose.
Police now say the student eventually tested negative for opioid exposure.
The student told school officials she had taken a hit from a vape pen loaded with marijuana concentrate and fell ill.
There were concerns the vape cartridge may have been contaminated with Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid much stronger than morphine.
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The school nurse gave the student Narcan, which counteracts the effects of Fentanyl.
The CDC says Narcan should be administered whenever an overdose is suspected. The agency's website says "(Narcan) won't harm someone if they're overdosing on drugs other than opioids, so it's always best to use it if you think someone is overdosing."
Shortly after the incident, New Rochelle School Superintendent Jonathan Raymond told CBS2 he alerted the community about a suspected fentanyl exposure due to fears other students may have had access to possibly contaminated vape pens.
"And that's why we need to get this message out to our families, caregivers and our guardians. They need to know and tell their kids that any time you try anything from the street, whether it's marijuana, off a vape, chances are it's going to be laced with fentanyl. That's how bad, that's how serious, this is," Raymond said.
Police later learned hospital tests showed the girl was not exposed to opioids.
A police source told CBS2's Tony Aiello they are working to recover the vape pen used by the student who became ill.