Lansing Middle and High School Students Learn Dangers of Fentanyl in One Pill Can Kill Presentation
On Tuesday, October 10th, Lansing Middle and High School students learned about the dangers of Fentanyl and other synthetic drugs in a One Pill Can Kill Presentation led by Captain John Diaz from the Kansas City Kansas Police Department. During the assemblies, students heard about the prevalence of fake pills - pills that mimic legitimate medication but are often laced with Fentanyl or methamphetamine. Overdoses and deaths from illicit Fentanyl are growing at an alarming rate, especially in teenagers. DEA statistics show that 7 in 10 pills seized contain a lethal dose of Fentanyl.
The assemblies started with Kobe, a K-9 from the Lenexa Police Department, showing his skills in finding and identifying drugs. His handler, Sergeant Sanchez from the Lenexa Police Department, and Captain Diaz talked to students about the Fentanyl epidemic and how to stay safe.
During the presentation, the officers reminded or taught students:
- Never take a pill not prescribed by a doctor or given to them by a parent.
- More fake pills contain lethal doses of illicit drugs than ever before.
- About the signs of overdose and ways to help – always call for help.
- Narcan can slow the effects of respiratory arrest. Lansing Middle and High Schools have Narcan in the nurses’ offices at both schools.
- Drug deals are done on social media, and parents should be aware of their students’ activities online.
- If they are worried about someone, they should ask for help.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the presenters asked each student who attended the assembly to talk to their family and other community members about the information, especially the signs of overdose and the importance of calling for help immediately.
This is the second year Lansing USD469 has held a One Pill Can Kill informational presentation offered through the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA created this campaign to help raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in counterfeit pills that are mass-produced in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate, and are killing Americans at an unprecedented rate.
We encourage parents to learn more about the dangers of Fentanyl by visiting the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill website: https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
Below is a link to last year's presentation: