Why does the US drug czar think WA schools should stock Narcan like fire extinguishers?

The United States’ top drug control official is in Washington state this week to sound the alarm on the threat of fentanyl — especially for kids this school year.

Dr. Rahul Gupta, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, carries Narcan with him at all times. It’s a life-saving medication that counteracts an opioid overdose.

Gupta spoke Tuesday at a back-to-school town hall at the Issaquah School District centered on fighting the nation’s growing fentanyl crisis. He appeared alongside U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, a Democrat from Washington’s 8th Congressional District, and Martin Turney, chief of finance and operations for Issaquah schools.

Gupta’s visit comes on the heels of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showing the death toll of the opioid crisis is rising faster in Washington state than anywhere else in the country.

As of Tuesday, King County reported 786 fentanyl overdose deaths so far this year — nearly 200 more than at this time last year.

And children are becoming more vulnerable to the powerful synthetic opioid that is increasingly being found in counterfeit prescription drugs. CDC data shows more than 1,500 kids and teens died from fentanyl in 2021 — four times higher than in 2018.

Gupta zeroed in on the dangers when kids buy drugs off the street — like Adderall to help them study before a big test or Xanax at a party — that could be laced with fentanyl.

One small thing everyone can do — from students to parents — is have Narcan on hand, just like he does.

“It may not be you,” Gupta said. “It may be your friend in school, or at a party, or at the mall. It may be a stranger, worse enough, that you may not know, but you can save their life.”

Gupta wants to see schools establish curriculum warnings against fentanyl and drugs in general, and make Narcan a visible fixture in schools, like a fire extinguisher or defibrillator.

Turney said all security staff at Issaquah’s middle and high schools carry Narcan with them, and staff spread the word about the risks of fentanyl.

“We try to make sure that students are aware of the resources available to them,” he said. “Over time, what we’ve noticed is students who are aware of an issue or they believe they can help, they just pick up and connect with those crisis lines and it can be a world of help to them and their fellow students.”

Correction notice, 8:18 a.m. on Friday, 8/25/23: A previous version of this story misstated the number of kids and teens who died from fentanyl in 2021.