Unconscious student who was given narcan is expected to be fine after taking the pill, county says

The R. L. Turner High School student, who was declared immune after apparently swallowing a pill on Friday, is expected to be fine after being injected with narcan, officials say.

In a statement sent to parents and broadcast by NBC 5, Carrollton Farmers ISD Branch said high school staff took quick action after a student appeared to become unresponsive after taking the pill. The student was introduced Narcan and regained consciousness.

The county said the student was hospitalized but is expected to be released sometime on Friday.

Carrollton police told NBC 5 that the student was a 15-year-old girl who was found unconscious in a closet. The police suspected she had overdosed, and she was injected with narcan.

The school district said keeping students safe and keeping their families informed is one of the district’s top priorities, and they hope that by sharing information about Friday’s incident, they can help prevent future emergencies.

CFBISD notified families of the incident via email on Friday, but most of the parents who spoke to NBC-5 said they learned about the incident from their students who wrote or called them during the school day.

Javier Gonzalez says he planned to talk to his daughter, a Turner HS freshman, on Friday night about what happened on campus.

“We have to be prepared for that kind of conversation as parents,” Gonzalez said. “I’m going to ask her if she’s okay, if she understands that. I think I’ll try to talk less and maybe just try to listen.”

From December three Carrollton-Farmers Branch students died and at least six others were hospitalized as a result of a string of fentanyl overdoses. Last month, the Justice Department announced the arrest of a third person. described as “the main source of supply” in nearly a dozen juvenile fentanyl overdoses in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch area, and said the individual had been federally charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

The Justice Department on Friday announced another arrest related to a crackdown on fentanyl sales in Carrollton. Federal prosecutors said Donovan Andrews, 20, used social media apps to connect with potential buyers and cash apps to get paid. In the arrest papers, they detailed how a 14-year-old overdose survivor told investigators that he had sold drugs to her and left them in her mailbox.

Carrollton police said they were investigating the emergency on Friday and awaiting toxicology reports.

District officials did not say if they knew what was in the pill, but they said they hoped to encourage families to talk to their children about the dangers. fentanyl and other drugs.

“Tell them that ANY pill they get from a friend, acquaintance, or buy online or on the street can be a fake pill containing fentanyl. Take only medicines prescribed by a doctor, purchased from a pharmacy, and approved by a parent or guardian. “, the district warned.

The neighborhood said there is additional resources on their website for parents and students about the dangers of fentanyl.

“This is a community task. We all need to work together to fight the fentanyl epidemic. We need everyone’s help, if you see something, if you hear something, you have to say something. Together we can stop this epidemic,” the district said.

WHAT IS NARKAN?

According to the manufacturer“Narcan nasal spray is a prescription medication used to treat a known or suspected emergency of an opioid overdose with signs of breathing problems and extreme drowsiness or an inability to respond.”

The active ingredient in Narcan is naloxone hydrochloride. Narcan is a brand name for a device that delivers naloxone into the nasal cavity.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, naloxone is an FDA-approved opioid antagonist medication that is used to treat opioid overdose. SAMHSA stated that naloxone is a temporary treatment and its effects do not last long, so it is critical to seek medical attention as soon as possible after administering or receiving naloxone.

Marin Wolf of The Dallas Morning New talks to NBC 5 about lifesaving training.

WHAT IS FENTANIL?

fentanyl A synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, which is equal to 10-15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose.

Without laboratory testing, it is impossible to know how much fentanyl is concentrated in a tablet or powder. If you are exposed to fentanyl in any form, do not touch it and call 911 immediately.

Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 107,622 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, with 66% of those deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Drug poisoning is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. The fentanyl available in the United States is mainly supplied by two criminal drug networks: the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

WHAT IS RAINBOW FENTANIL?

In August 2022, the DEA issued a public notice. about a disturbing new trend of colored fentanyl available nationwide.

The brightly colored fentanyl, dubbed “rainbow fentanyl” by the media, has been seized in a variety of forms, including tablets, powder, and blocks resembling sidewalk chalk.

“Rainbow fentanyl — fentanyl tablets and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes and sizes — is a deliberate attempt by drug dealers to create addiction in children and young adults,” said DEA Administrator Ann Milgram. “The men and women of the DEA are working tirelessly to stop the rainbow fentanyl trafficking and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of fentanyl sold in the United States.”

Despite claims that some colors may be stronger than others, DEA lab testing does not show this to be the case. The DEA has stated that fentanyl of any color, shape, or size should be considered extremely dangerous.

Drug Enforcement Administration officials warn of fentanyl in bright colors, sometimes reminiscent of sidewalk chalk or candy.