Pupil safety: parental notification: synthetic drugs.

SECTION 1.

 Section 48985.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

48985.5. (a) A local educational agency shall inform the parents or guardians of each enrolled pupil about the dangers associated with using synthetic drugs that are not prescribed by a physician, such as fentanyl. Parents or guardians shall also be informed of the possibility that dangerous synthetic drugs can be found in counterfeit pills.

(b) (1) The information shall be annually provided to parents or guardians at the beginning of the first semester or quarter of the regular school term.

(2) The information may be provided to parents or guardians pursuant to Section 48980.

(c) If a local educational agency maintains an internet website, the local educational agency shall post the information on their internet website and shall ensure that each individual school within the local educational agency that maintains an individual internet website also posts the information on that school’s internet website.

(d) As used in this section, a “local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.

Know the Dangers of Fentanyl

As part of a collaboration of education, law enforcement, public health, and other organizations, we are coming together to say that enough is enough. We need your help to keep youth safe from this dangerous drug. You can help by getting informed and talking to your student about the dangers of fentanyl and drug use. The lethal potency of fentanyl and its easy availability increases the already risky behavior of recreational drug use. There is no such thing as a safe street drug, and it is dangerous to misuse prescription drugs. Be aware. Be informed. Be safe.

• Just a few grains of fentanyl can be a lethal dose.

• Prescription fentanyl is a powerful medical synthetic opioid prescribed in carefully monitored dosage for extreme pain or end-of-life care.

• Counterfeit pills, obtained on the street or online, can contain deadly doses of fentanyl. They are made to resemble other prescription medications, such as OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Xanax, or Adderall. They are available to anyone with a smartphone.

• Providing drugs causing a fatal overdose may result in criminal prosecution.

• Signs of a fentanyl overdose include difficulty waking up, slowed breathing, confusion, and blue or pale lips and fingernails.

• If you think someone is overdosing, call 911 immediately. (Under state law, a person overdosing and the person calling for help are protected from legal trouble.) If available, administer Nalaxone, a life-saving medication to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in California and the United States.

There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicitly manufactured fentanyl (illicit fentanyl). Both are synthetic opioids. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, such as while in the hospital for and after surgery or for advanced-stage cancer. Illicit fentanyl is distributed through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect.

Why is fe​ntanyl dangerous?​

Fentanyl is extremely potent. It is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Illicit fentanyl can be added to other drugs to make them cheaper, more powerful, and more addictive. Illicit fentanyl has been found in many drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, counterfeit pills, and cocaine. Fentanyl mixed with any drug increases the likelihood of a fatal overdose.

Fentanyl-laced drugs are extremely dangerous. It is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been laced with fentanyl without the use of fentanyl test strips because fentanyl cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. Test strips are inexpensive, typically give results within 5 minutes, and can be the difference between life or death. Even if the test is negative, caution should be taken as test strips might not detect other fentanyl-like drugs, like carfentanil.

Fentanyl can be found in different forms, including pills, powder, and liquid.

Brightly-colored fentanyl, referred to as "rainbow" fentanyl, has been identified as a new trend in the United States by the DEA. Rainbow fentanyl can be found in many forms, including pills, powder, a​​nd blocks that can resemble sidewalk chalk or candy. Rainbow fentanyl, like all forms of fentanyl, is extremely potent and dangerous.

Fentanyl-related overdose deaths in California have been increasing at an unpredictable pace.