Dallas ISD hosts community meeting, educating parents on dangers of fentanyl
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – In response to the teen fentanyl overdoses and deaths lately across North Texas, Dallas ISD leaders hosted a community meeting to talk about it Tuesday night.
Inside Dallas ISD's W.T. White High School, parents like Sena Spofford were eager to learn.
"I heard that fentanyl was a problem, but I didn't know what fentanyl was," she said.
"I was a trustee when we had the cheese heroin epidemic, this was 15 or so years ago, and I thought it was important to get ahead of this," Dallas ISD Trustee Edwin Flores said.
At the request of Flores, the Drug Enforcement Administration gave parents advice on how to discuss fentanyl with their kids.
"When it comes to fentanyl, it really has to be a very upfront conversation about how little it takes to cause an overdose which is 2 mg.. that's just a few grains," said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo Chavez.
"I definitely didn't realize how extremely dangerous it is," Spofford said. "Like half a pill, done. That's bad. That's scary."
The DEA Dallas division says last year alone, they seized over 11 million doses of fentanyl.
Last month, law enforcement arrested three people in connection to dealing drugs to Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD students. At least 10 overdosed and three died.
"Overall, we have seen fentanyl mixed with every type of illicit drug," Chavez said. "From cocaine to methamphetamine to marijuana, edibles, even to heroin, by and large, counterfeit, fake prescription drugs is the preferred method."
The DEA says 6 out of every 10 counterfeit pills now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
At the meeting, parents were told Narcan can be a life saver. The nasal spray reverses the effect of an opioid overdose.
"I'm going to go and have conversations for sure tonight about what not to do, what to look for.. and how serious it is," Spofford said.