Statistics alone have shown an increase in drug abuse and drug disorders. Since 2000 there have been 700,000 drug overdoses. Individuals need to be aware that several different and scheduled drugs are available. Some drugs can come from the counter to drugs like fentanyl, which can kill you.

In 2022 there were 37,309 million individuals that were actively using within the last thirty days, including children as young as twelve. So, if you have not had that talk with your children, think about it. This might or might not surprise you, but 47% of juveniles will use drugs before graduation. In the last thirty days, 5% of eighth graders, 20% of tenth graders, and 24% of twelve graders are using. If you are wondering what number of individuals have used in a lifetime, were looking at 138.543 million.

If you think addiction is not out there or on a decrease, we are far from that. Realize that some states run a drug dispensary on every corner, and not everyone abides by the state law. Adults and kids are getting a hold of every drug, from marijuana to fentanyl to fake pills.  

Lately, I have been watching people I love who are in recovery slip back into their old habits. It is sad to watch the ones you love slip away. Since my recovery, I watched seven lose their lives and tons fall. Some that fall come back quickly, realizing this is not what they wanted, whereas others are still out there.

Statistics alone have shown an increase in drug abuse and drug disorders. Since 2000 there have been 700,000 drug overdoses. Individuals need to be aware that several different and scheduled drugs are available. Some drugs can come from the counter to drugs like fentanyl, which can kill you.

In 2022 there were 37,309 million individuals that were actively using within the last thirty days, including children as young as twelve. So, if you have not had that talk with your children, think about it. This might or might not surprise you, but 47% of juveniles will use drugs before graduation. In the last thirty days, 5% of eighth graders, 20% of tenth graders, and 24% of twelve graders are using. If you are wondering what number of individuals have used in a lifetime, were looking at 138.543 million.

If you think addiction is not out there or on a decrease, we are far from that. Realize that some states run a drug dispensary on every corner, and not everyone abides by the state law. Adults and kids are getting a hold of every drug, from marijuana to fentanyl to fake pills.  

Reference:

National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS). (2023). https://drugabusestatistics.org

Written by: Melissa Pena

Fentanyl is a pharmaceutical drug that is used for pain management. This drug is known to be 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Furthermore, this drug seems familiar to adolescents and has been known to cause many deaths. Many adolescents are unaware that this drug only takes a few milligrams to cause an overdose. 

Number of deaths

From 2019 to 2020, the number of deaths in adolescents tripled. The average range for adolescents using Fentanyl is from age 10 to 14. The record number of overdoses in 12 months went to 104,288. The part of Fentanyl that grabs adolescents’ attention is how their bodies react. 

Side effects of fentanyl

Today there are more and more adolescents who are experimenting with drugs. These adolescents enjoy the side effects. Fentanyl has been known to cause complete body relaxation, pain relief, and sedation. Then there is confusion, and they lose the idea of where they are. Adolescents become nauseous, vomit, and have respiratory distress. 

What happens now?

Adolescents tend to fall asleep and what seems like a peaceful sleep is far worse. Most adolescents think their friends are sleeping because they are snoring. What happens is that these friends leave their friends, and their breathing gets shallow; they turn blue and have a drug overdose. 

Parents need to be familiar with Naloxone; this medication can save your child’s life or even the next adolescent who has a drug overdose. This medication comes in spray or injectable. It is easy to use and can be picked up from most pharmacies. Some areas will have training on how to use Naloxone. Both you and your child should know how to use this medication. You never know when you might need it. Help educate your children about all drugs, especially ones that are silent killers. 

References

Christensen, J., CNN (2022). Middle-school children fall prey to fentanyl overdoses. CNN News. https://cnn.com/2022/02/18/health/fentanyl-fatal-overdose-middle-schoolers/index.html

Written by: Melissa Pena