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What Youth Need To Know
 

Learn About Fentanyl

Teenagers today face a world that is far more complex than the one teens faced 15 or 20 years ago. Taking illicit drugs is much more dangerous in the age of fentanyl. Before you think about trying drugs – Get the facts. Check out the resources below. They may save your life.


Read more at onepillkillstx.com


Read more at https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/fentanyl/index.html

Just how big is the threat from fentanyl in the Houston area?

The facts are alarming…

Drug overdoses have risen steeply throughout the United States with illicit fentanyl at the forefront of this public health crisis. The main factor driving the rise in fentanyl-involved deaths is that this lethal substance is being found more often in a broader array of drug types.

  • Crime laboratory testing of seized drugs in the Houston HIDTA indicate that fentanyl is being found mixed with heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and in counterfeit prescription pills. Drugs suspected to be heroin or cocaine are also more frequently testing positive solely for fentanyl.
  • Of seized counterfeit pills, fake oxycodone tablets are the primary type in which fentanyl is identified. However, taking any pill obtained illicitly is analogous to playing a game of Russian roulette as other types of seized tablets also sometimes contain fentanyl.
  • Fentanyl has changed the landscape of the drug threat environment to such an extent that the use of almost any illicit drug could potentially expose an individual to dangerous synthetic opioids.
  • Tragically, death data for the region is reflecting this growing threat. In Harris County, the most populous county in Texas, almost half of the drug-related deaths in 2022 involved fentanyl or a fentanyl analog.


Watch the short videos below to learn more about deadly fentanyl.


Source: https://www.naturalhigh.org/ 
Video:  https://vimeo.com/747036321


Read more at cdc.gov/stopoverdose
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu_WtBrmScs


Read more at dea.gov/onepill
Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0usLhH4kAc4


Read more at https://onepillkillstx.com


Source: Fox News, 9-27-23, https://www.foxnews.com/video/6337923592112



Ad Council’s Youth Campaign: The Real Deal on Fentanyl
Read more at https://realdealonfentanyl.com/



American Academy of Pediatrics
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVZEjrBoSkE


Read more at Song for Charlie, www.songforcharlie.org
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTSSXlkYhUg 

Learn about Life-Saving Naloxone (Narcan)


Read more at cdc.gov/stopoverdose/naloxone/index.html 


Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm5Tbb8YcgQ&t=2s



Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odlFtGNjmMQ

General Information on Illicit Drugs

What are the Signs of Having a Problem with Drugs?

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), January 4, 2021
Sources: https://www.justthinktwice.gov/facts/what-are-signs-having-problem-drugs
https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/parents-educators/conversation-starters/what-are-signs-having-problem-drugs

Addiction can happen at any age, but it usually starts when a person is young. It’s the result of changes in the brain that can come from drug use. Addiction affects how people think and what they do. But what exactly are the signs?

First, it’s important to know that there is no “type” of person who becomes addicted. People can face addiction no matter where they’re from, what they look like, or how much money they have.

One important sign of addiction is that a person continues to use drugs even though it’s harming their life: physical health, performance at school or work, or relationships. They feel like they can’t stop using drugs, no matter what happens.

Other signs can include:

  • Hanging out with different friends than usual.
  • Not caring about their appearance.
  • Getting lower grades in school.
  • Missing classes or skipping school. 
  • Losing interest in their favorite activities. 
  • Getting in trouble in school or with the law. 
  • Having different eating or sleeping habits. 
  • Having more problems with family members and friends. 

Why Age of First Use Matters

There are major changes happening in the brain during your teen years.

Using drugs at this time can have a devastating and long-term impact on your memory and attention span for years to come.

Source: Just Think Twice, https://www.justthinktwice.gov/videos/protect-your-brain-why-age-first-use-matters

Watch the video below to learn more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYR2j9oQGPs

Find out more about specific drug types. Here are some clickable resources.


Read more at Get the Facts about Drugs, Just Think Twice, Source: https://www.justthinktwice.gov/drugs


The Tips for Teens series educates teens about the dangers of drug use, including short- and long-term health risks and ways the drug affects the brain. 


Read more at Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Source: https://www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week/voices-of-youth/substance-use-prevention-resources-youth-college-students


Videos on Various Drug Types

 

Thinking about Drinking Alcohol? 3 Things You Need to Know First
American Academy of Pediatrics
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbBIl2KcVIQ

 

How Bad is Vaping for Teens?
American Academy of Pediatrics
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JeQAUSFB1o


3 Myths about Weed and the Truth Every Teen Should Know
American Academy of Pediatrics
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7ePHutb6Os


How Marijuana Affects Your Developing Brain
Ask, Listen, Learn
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Luw2tiMuLk


Marijuana, Super Dopey
Drug Enforcement Administration
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxwyMAT-ZLA


Stimulants, Annoying, Aren’t I?
Drug Enforcement Administration
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K9WEZmAUgI


Depressants, Dear Senses
Drug Enforcement Administration
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URETEc8QUec


Hallucinogens – A Bad Trip
Drug Enforcement Administration
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tsl-M3t14E