High school student revived with Narcan after using vape suspected to be laced with fentanyl
The New Rochelle Superintendent Jonathan Raymond warned parents about the dangers of vapes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A New York high school student was revived with Narcan after taking a hit from a vape that was suspected to be laced with fentanyl.
The unidentified New Rochelle High School student was smoking a vape that the teen believed contained marijuana, but went unconscious, Superintendent Jonathan Raymond said in a statement. That's when school nurses rushed in to administer a dose of Narcan, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses.
"The vape almost cost that student their life. I implore you to speak with your children immediately about the dangers of vaping," Raymond said. "It is urgent."
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Raymond called the incident an "ominous milestone" for the school district and said the vape, which was suspected of having been laced with the deadly drug fentanyl, presents a danger to the community.
"This device is still in our community, potentially threatening the health or lives of any others who use it," Raymond said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The superintendent told CBS 2 that it is vital officials use the incident as a way to educate families about the dangers of vapes, most notably those that are found on the streets that young people think contain marijuana.
Narcan Nasal Spray. (Fox News)
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"And that’s why we need to get this message out to our families, caregivers and our guardians," Raymond said. "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."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a note to the community, Raymond cautioned that the district has still yet to confirm that the substance that almost killed the student was fentanyl, but said "any vaping devices or drugs purchased on the street may — and likely do — contain the synthetic opioid fentanyl, and even the smallest dose can be lethal."
All nurses in the New Rochelle school system have a supply of Narcan, but Raymond encouraged parents to get their own Narcan prescription and to talk to their kids about reporting suspected overdoses.
Fentanyl test strips in a container and Narcan. (REUTERS/Nathan Frandino)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If at any time they are with a friend who has overdosed, they can call 911 without fear of repercussion," Raymond wrote to the community. "There is nothing more important than the health, safety, and wellbeing of our students and it takes all of us to prevent a fatal overdose."