[Fentanyl Town Hall Meeting]
[00:00:06]
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE FOR WAITING TO GET STARTED.
IT'S REALLY STARTING TO COME DOWN OUT THERE, SO THANKS FOR BRAVING THE WEATHER.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS ALSO AT HOME WATCHING US AS WE'RE LIVE STREAMING THIS.
THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE JUST AS ANY OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE.
THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO GO AND WATCH LATER SO WE'LL HAVE IT POSTED SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.
MY NAME IS ERIN MILLER. I'M THE CHIEF STUDENT SERVICES OFFICER HERE IN FRISCO ISD.
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT DURING THIS PRESENTATION, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERED BY THE PANEL, WE HAVE SOME CARDS OVER THERE AND PENS, YOU CAN GET UP AND FILL OUT A CARD AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS TO THE PANEL SO THAT THEY CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK SOME PEOPLE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS EVENT HAPPEN.
ABOUT A MONTH AGO, OUR BOARD TRUSTEE, JEANETTE DAVIS.
JEANETTE, CAN YOU STAND UP REAL QUICK BACK THERE? SHE'LL WAVE.
SHE CAME TO MY OFFICE AND SHE SAID, ERIN, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THIS? WITH HER, SHE BROUGHT ANN HARRIS.
ANN, IF YOU WOULD STAND REAL QUICK.
[APPLAUSE] ANN IS A FRISCO RESIDENT AND A COMMUNITY LEADER.
SHE'S BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR HOMELESS TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS SINCE 2014 WHEN SHE AND HER HUSBAND DEL, LED A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO OPEN A GIRL'S HOME IN FRISCO FOR CITY HOUSE.
SINCE THEN, HER FOCUS HAS BEEN TO BRING AWARENESS TO OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF FENTANYL WHICH HAS INFILTRATED OUR COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE AWARENESS PANEL DISCUSSIONS TO BE HELD IN FRISCO AND WE HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE MORE.
ONE OF OUR PANELISTS, SHANNON WHITE WAS ALSO PRESENT AND WE'LL BE INTRODUCING HER SHORTLY.
WE APPRECIATE THE WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH FRISCO PD AND THE CITY OF FRISCO AND OUR COUNCIL OF PTAS.
EVERYONE HAS HELPED TO PROMOTE THIS AND HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE, SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED.
WE HOPE THAT THIS BRINGS AWARENESS AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. WILLIAM SOLARI.
HE'S GOING TO BE INTRODUCING OUR PANELISTS AND MODERATING IT.
HE'S BEEN A STUDENT SUPPORT COORDINATOR FOR FRISCO ISD SINCE 2016.
HE'S A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR.
HE DOES A LOT OF WORK WITH SUBSTANCE MISUSE EFFORTS IN SCHOOL AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
HE'S PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR COLLIN COUNTY SUBSTANCE MISUSE COALITION.
BEFORE I DO THAT, I JUST ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. GOPAL PONANGI AND MR. JOHN CLASSE FOR BEING HERE AND DR. WALDRIP.
THANK YOU. WILLIAM, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT AWAY.
>> [MUSIC] [NOISE] [MUSIC] [NOISE] [MUSIC]
>> YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU WANT.
>> LOOK AT ME WHILE I TALK TO YOU.
YOU SIT THERE AND TELL ME. [MUSIC]
ETA ABOUT TWO MINUTES, HANGING FURTHER.
SINCE I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN 2014, I'VE HAD THE GREAT HONOR OF DIRECTING A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTARY FILMS ABOUT DRUGS AND DRUG ADDICTION.
[00:05:02]
OUR MISSION IS TO REVOLUTIONIZE DRUG EDUCATION BY TELLING REAL-LIFE STORIES THAT MOTIVATE YOUNG PEOPLE TO MAKE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS OF THEIR LIFE AND THAT'S THE DECISION TO NOT USE DRUGS.2020 WAS THE WORST YEAR FOR DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS THAT WE HAVE EVER SEEN.
IN THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER IN 2020, I CAME ACROSS THIS ARTICLE, A 14-YEAR-OLD KID FROM A TOWN I GREW UP IN HAD DIED FROM WHAT APPEARED TO BE A DRUG OVERDOSE.
HE'S A SMART, FUNNY GUY WHO, LIKE MANY KIDS, WAS STRUGGLING WITH SOME ANXIETY ISSUES AND DECIDED THAT HE WOULD TURN TO DRUGS TO SEE IF HE CAN HELP HIMSELF WITH THAT.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS, HE WENT AND BOUGHT THIS PILL, THIS OXYCONTIN PILL FROM A GUY HE HAD KNOWN BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT PILL MIGHT EASE THE PAIN OF WHAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH MENTALLY.
WELL, HE DIDN'T KNOW IT, BUT THAT OXYCONTIN PILL WASN'T A REAL OXYCONTIN PILL, IT WAS A FAKE PILL.
IT LOOKED JUST LIKE THE PILL THAT HE WANTED TO TRY, BUT INSTEAD OF OXYCONTIN, IT WAS MADE WITH FENTANYL, A SYNTHETIC OPIOID KNOWN TO BE 50-100 TIMES THE STRENGTH OF MORPHINE.
THAT ONE PILL HE TOOK THAT NIGHT KILLED HIM ALMOST INSTANTLY, AND HIS MOM FOUND HIM DEAD IN HIS BEDROOM THE NEXT MORNING.
BEFORE I CAN EVEN FINISH THAT ARTICLE, I'M SCROLLING THROUGH AND I SEE ANOTHER LINKED ARTICLE.
NOT FAR AWAY, AROUND THE SAME TIME, ANOTHER 14-YEAR-OLD DEAD FROM FENTANYL.
SO THEN I GO BACK TO GOOGLE AND I TYPE IN FENTANYL DEATHS.
I HIT SEARCH, AND THEN IT ALL MADE SENSE.
I SAW ANOTHER KID, AND I SAW HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS, COLLEGE STUDENTS, YOUNG ADULTS, ALL RECENT, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL DEAD FROM FENTANYL.
I'M LOOKING AT THAT AND I'M SAYING, THESE AREN'T JUST NORMAL OVERDOSE DEATHS, THESE PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE TAKING ONE DRUG AND IT TURNS OUT THEY'RE BEING KILLED.
WHY HAVE WE NOT HEARD ABOUT THIS?
>> IT'S A DRUG 50 TIMES MORE POTENT THAN HEROIN.
DOCTORS SAY JUST TOUCHING IT CAN SEND YOU TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SYNTHETIC OPIOID FENTANYL.
>> THE FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT FENTANYL WAS MY SISTER BUSTING IN MY HOUSE BEING LIKE, DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING IN HIS ROOM, IT'S FENTANYL.
I'M LIKE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
MOST PEOPLE HAVEN'T HEARD OF THIS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT.
BACK IN 2013 WHEN IT FIRST STARTED SHOWING UP, ONLY ABOUT 3% OF DRUG USERS WERE DYING FROM IT.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT OVER 50% OF DRUG DEATHS BEING ATTRIBUTED TO FENTANYL.
IF ALEXANDER COULD HAVE GOT A LESSON, I WISH HE KNEW ABOUT FENTANYL.
I WISH HE UNDERSTOOD THAT FENTANYL POISONING IS REAL AND THAT EVERY TIME YOU TRY SOMETHING, YOU'RE PLAYING WITH YOUR LIFE.
IT IS PILL ROULETTE EVERY TIME YOU TRY IT.
AS A MOM OF A KID THAT WAS JUST TRYING TO EXPERIMENT, THAT'S WHERE IT GETS.
AS A MOM OF A KID THAT DIED JUST WANTING TO EXPERIMENT, I WISH I COULD JUST SHAKE YOU AND TELL YOU AND MAKE IT REAL FOR YOU, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
I WON'T BE THERE WHEN YOU'RE FACED WITH THESE DECISIONS.
HE KNOW IF HE KNEW THE EFFECTS OF HIS PASSING, IT WOULD CRUSH HIM.
HE NEVER INTENDED FOR ME TO FIND HIM ON HIS BEDROOM FLOOR.
HE NEVER INTENDED FOR HIS DAD TO ADMINISTER CPR TRYING TO SAVE HIS LIFE WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR THE PARAMEDICS.
EVEN HIS 12-YEAR-OLD SISTER WANTED TO RUN IN THERE AND TRY TO HELP DO CPR, BUT I HELD HER BACK.
ALEX DIDN'T INTEND FOR ME TO SEE HIM WHEELED AWAY ON A STRETCHER AND PUT INTO AN AMBULANCE.
ALEX HAD NO INTENTION OF ME SEEING HIM LYING ON A STAINLESS STEEL TABLE COVERED WITH A SHEET WITH ONLY HIS SAID SHOWING.
ALEX HAD NO INTENTION OF ME KNOWING WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO KISS HIS FACE FOR THE LAST TIME.
THE IMAGES THAT I'M LEFT WITH THAT DAY REPLAY IN MY MIND ON A REGULAR BASIS.
PLEASE DO NOT PUT YOUR FAMILY THROUGH THIS.
PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU LEARN ABOUT FENTANYL NOW.
[00:10:05]
DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOUR BEST FRIEND HAS DIED OR BROTHER OR YOUR SISTER, LEARN ABOUT IT NOW, SO YOU COULD HELP YOUR FRIENDS.YOU CAN TELL THEM, YOU CAN WARN THEM.
YOU CAN BE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF SAVING LIVES.
>> THIS WOULD BE HOW MUCH COCAINE SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO INGEST TO KILL THEM.
THIS IS THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF PRESCRIPTION PILLS ONE WOULD HAVE TO INGEST TO KILL THEM.
THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF HEROIN THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD HAVE TO INGEST TO KILL THEM.
FENTANYL, YOU GOT TO BRING THE CAMERA UP HERE REAL CLOSE TO SEE IT.
THIS MUCH FENTANYL WOULD KILL YOU AND I IF WE SPLIT IT.
THEY PUT FENTANYL, AS WE ALREADY KNOW AND TALKED ABOUT IN THE COUNTERFEIT PILLS.
IT'S ODORLESS, IT'S TASTELESS.
WHEN YOU FIND OUT IT'S THERE, IT'S TOO LATE. YOU WON'T EVEN KNOW IT.
YOU'LL BE DEAD, 2,500 PEOPLE WOULD BE KILLED BY THAT AMOUNT OF FENTANYL.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A DRUG TO YOU? DOES THAT SOUND MORE LIKE A POISON? I WAS A POLICE OFFICER FOR 31 YEARS AND DURING MY TIME IN NARCOTICS, I'D NEVER HEARD OF FENTANYL.
IN HOMICIDE, I SAW MANY TRAGIC THINGS.
I SAW PEOPLE THAT WERE KILLED BY SHOOTINGS, STABBINGS, BEATINGS.
NOTHING THAT I SAW AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME WOULD HAVE EVER PREPARED ME TO SEE JESSICA. I WAS AT WORK.
I GOT A TELEPHONE CALL FROM MY WIFE, SHERRY.
SHE WAS FRANTIC, UNCONTROLLABLE, SCREAMING INTO THE PHONE ABOUT JESSICA AND I KNEW SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED.
JESSICA LIVED WITH HER BOYFRIEND NICHOLAS, AND A STUPID DECISION IN WHICH THEY ORDERED AND HAD SOME COCAINE DELIVERED TO THEM TO THEIR HOUSE, RESULTED IN THEM INGESTING IT AND MY DAUGHTER AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, BECAME FOREVER 29 YEARS OF AGE.
SHE HAS A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, LAURA, WHO IS NOW WITH SHERRY AND I AND WE ARE RAISING AND SHE HAD EVERYTHING TO LIVE FOR.
JESSICA KNEW ABOUT FENTANYL BUT FROM TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AFTER SHE DIED WITH HER FRIENDS, I DISCOVERED THAT JESSICA HAD A FRIEND THAT HAD EVEN DIED A COUPLE OF WEEKS PRIOR TO HER DEATH, AND JESSICA HAD SPOKEN TO HER FRIENDS ABOUT BEING AFRAID.
IF YOU KNEW ABOUT IT, WHY WOULD YOU EVEN IN RISK IT, SWEETHEART.
YOU KNEW IT, WHY DID YOU MAKE THAT BAD DECISION? WHO KNOWS? THOSE ARE THINGS THAT YOU WILL NEVER ANSWER.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
>> [NOISE] DEALERS ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHOW OFF WHAT THEY'VE GOT INFILTRATING FEEDS OF EVERY YOUNGER TEENS CURIOUS ABOUT THIS FLASHY LIFESTYLE.
WITH MORE ADDICTS AND OVERDOSES BY THE DAY, THEY'VE GOT DRIVERS ON-DEMAND DELIVERING ANY DRUG TO YOUR DOOR 24/7.
>> SOCIAL MEDIA APP HAS CHANGED THE GAME WHEN IT COMES TO NARCOTICS THAT KNOWS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND JUST MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF IT, AND SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO FALL TRAP THEM.
>> FOUR YEARS AGO, DEA IN ARIZONA SEIZED ZERO FENTANYL.
THIS LAST YEAR WE SEIZED ENOUGH FENTANYL THAT KILLS 70 MILLION PEOPLE.
YOU'RE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE OUT THERE WHEN YOU'RE TAKING THESE PILLS AND YOU'RE BUYING THE STUFF OFF THE STREET.
>> SOCIAL MEDIA HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF THE DRUG TRADE.
MOST PEOPLE START BY SEARCHING FOR WHAT THEY THINK ARE PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS AND DRUG DEALERS RESPOND SAYING THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE.
BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR AND WHAT YOU GET CAN BE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
IF YOU'RE BUYING THE STUFF FROM SOMEBODY ONLINE, THEIR BOTTOM LINE IS, THEY'RE JUST LOOKING TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK.
THEY DON'T HAVE YOUR BEST INTERESTS IN MIND.
THEY'LL TELL YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT TO HEAR.
UNLESS YOU'RE GETTING THESE DRUGS FROM YOUR DOCTOR OR A LICENSED PHARMACY AND A BOTTLE THAT HAS YOUR NAME ON IT, YOU MAY AS WELL ASSUME THESE DRUGS ARE FAKE.
YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE REAL THING.
FENTANYL IS LITERALLY TAKEN OVER IN THE DRUG MARKET.
IT'S IN EVERYTHING, IT'S IN COCAINE.
OBVIOUSLY THE COUNTERFEIT PILLS THAT ARE OUT THERE, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE IT SHOWING UP NOW IN MARIJUANA.
[00:15:02]
THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE STUFF, WHO ARE PUTTING FENTANYL ON EVERYTHING, THEY HAVE ONE GOAL TO GET YOU HOOKED.THEY'RE GOING TO TRICK YOU INTO THINKING YOU'RE GETTING SOMETHING YOUR ARE NOT, TO TAKE YOU DOWN THAT RABBIT HOLE, TO GET YOU HOOKED ON FENTANYL AND HAVE YOU BECOME AN ADDICT.
BECAUSE TO THEM YOU'RE A CUSTOMER AND YOU'LL BE A RETURNING CUSTOMER AT THAT POINT.
ONE OF THOSE TIMES, YOU'RE GOING TO GET ENOUGH FENTANYL TO KILL YOU.
ALEX WAS IN HER BEDROOM AT NIGHT GETTING READY FOR BED.
SHE WENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN SEARCH OF OXYCODONE.
IT WASN'T HARD FOR HER TO FIND A DRUG DEALER, AND SHE HAD WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS OXYCODONE DELIVERED TO OUR HOUSE.
ONE PILL HAD ENOUGH FENTANYL TO KILL FIVE PEOPLE.
MY DAUGHTER TOOK HALF OF THIS PILL AND DIED INSTANTLY IN AN INCIDENT MY LIFE WAS CHANGED FOREVER.
MY LAST MEMORY OF MY DAUGHTER OF HER BEING WHEELED OUT ON A GURNEY, I SAW MY DAUGHTER BROUGHT INTO THIS WORLD AND I SAW HER LEAVE THIS WORLD.
I HAVE FOUR DAUGHTERS , A BEAUTIFUL WIFE.
EVERY TIME WE TAKE A FAMILY PICTURE, I DON'T SEE WHO'S THERE, I SEE WHO'S MISSING.
IT'S AN ODD FEELING TO LOOKING FORWARD TO DYING BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT'S WHEN YOUR HEART WILL BE MADE WHOLE AGAIN.
ALEX WOULD HAVE NEVER WANTED THIS.
>> [MUSIC] THE END OF THE WORLD AT THE PALM OF MY HAND.
IF YOU CAN'T COME WITH ME, UNDERSTAND.
THAT EVENING WAS ONE OF THE MOST SPECIAL EVENINGS WE HAD IN A LONG TIME.
I TOLD THEM TO COME DOWNSTAIRS WHERE I WANTED TO HUG HIM. I DON'T KNOW WHY.
HE CAME DOWN THE STAIRS AND HE HUGGED ME AND HE SAID, "DAD, I'M SO SORRY FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT I HAD PUT YOU THROUGH IN THE PAST." AND I SAID, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, DANIEL, YOU'RE JUST A KID AND YOU'RE JUST LEARNING, BUT YOU'RE GOING PLACES.
YOU'VE GOT A GREAT FUTURE COMING AHEAD OF YOU.
I'M JUST SO PROUD OF YOU. YOU HAVE NO IDEA." "ALRIGHT DAD, GOODNIGHT.
I LOVE YOU." "GOODNIGHT SON, I LOVE YOU TOO. SEE YOU TOMORROW MORNING." NEXT DAY BY EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING WHEN I WALKED INTO HIS ROOM, HE WAS IN A LYING POSITION FACING UP AGAINST THE HEADBOARD WITH HIS HANDS OVER HIS CHEST AND I SAW HIS EYES.
HE HAD A LITTLE BLUE ON TOP OF HIS LIPS.
I SCREAMED AT THE VERY TOP OF MY LUNGS, "DANIEL, DANIEL, DANIEL".
THEY CARRIED HIM DOWN THE STAIRS AND PUT HIM ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND STARTED DOING CHEST COMPRESSIONS AND THEN THEY TOOK HIM TO LOS ANGELES CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL WHERE WE WERE PUT IN A WAITING ROOM.
LATER ON THAT EVENING, A TEAM OF DOCTORS CAME IN AND HE SAID THAT, "YOUR BOY IS JUST A SHELL OF A BOY THAT HE WAS BEFORE.
HE'S NOT COMING BACK." MY ONLY CHILD.
I COULDN'T SAVE MY SON, DANIEL.
IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY.
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
[00:20:01]
IF YOU LOVE YOURSELF, YOU RESPECT YOURSELF.IF YOU LOVE LIFE, YOU HAVE A CHOICE, BECAUSE IT IS BETWEEN LIFE OR DEATH.
HOW DO I KNOW THIS? I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE MET THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PARENTS NATIONWIDE.
I WISH SOMEBODY HAD SAT ME DOWN AND HAD THIS TALK WITH ME ABOUT WHAT FENTANYL DOES TO PEOPLE.
I DIDN'T GET THAT CHANCE, YOU DO.
>> THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE MAIN PROBLEM WITH THE FILMS THAT WE MAKE, AND IT'S THE REASON WHY WE TRY TO KEEP THEM AS REAL AND AS RELATABLE AS POSSIBLE.
PEOPLE JUST SO COMMONLY THINK THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN TO THEM.
I'M TALKING ABOUT GREAT PEOPLE, NICE PEOPLE, COOL PEOPLE, INTELLIGENT PEOPLE WITH BIG PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, BIG POTENTIAL.
GONE BECAUSE OF ONE CHOICE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WOULD END THEIR LIVES.
FENTANYL IS COMING FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE.
SO THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT I CAN GIVE TO KIDS, TO TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS, ANYBODY IS THE SAME OLD MESSAGE WE'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND THAT'S TO REALLY GET SERIOUS ABOUT NOT EVEN TRYING A DRUG.
YOU SEE, BACK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, I WAS TELLING KIDS NOT TO USE DRUGS BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET HOOKED, YOU MIGHT GET ADDICTED.
NOW THERE'S NOT EVEN TIME FOR THAT.
NOW IT'S DON'T TRY DRUG BECAUSE YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY NOT WAKE UP TOMORROW.
YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY NOT GET ANOTHER CHANCE.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT, I GUARANTEE YOU AT THIS POINT, THERE WAS SOMEONE VERY SIMILAR TO YOU WHO WISH THEY COULD BE HERE RIGHT NOW TO LOOK INTO THE CAMERA AND LOOK INTO YOUR EYES AND SAY, DON'T DO IT.
PLEASE, I WISH I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.
DON'T DO IT. DON'T RISK YOUR LIFE.
SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, ARE YOU GOING TO LISTEN OR WILL IT BE YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS HOLDING YOUR PICTURE WISHING THEY COULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO TELL YOU.
HE DIED AT 14 YEARS OLD FROM FENTANYL POISONING.
>> THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER JESSICA.
SHE WAS 29 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE WAS KILLED BY FENTANYL.
SHE WAS MURDERED AT 20 YEARS OLD BY A DRUG DEALER WHO SOLD HER A COUNTERFEIT PILL MADE OF FENTANYL.
>> THIS IS MY SON, DANIEL JOSEPH BERTHA JOHNSON, KILLED AT THE AGE OF 16 BY ILLICIT FENTANYL.
>> AT THIS POINT I'M GOING TO INVITE THE PANELISTS UP, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING FORWARD.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BE SHOWING THAT VIDEO TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE SECOND PART OF A FENTANYL INFORMATIONAL THING WE'VE DONE IN THE SPRING FOR OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS.
THE FIRST PART WE DID FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS,
[00:25:01]
BUT WE'RE JUST GOING TO SHOW THAT VIDEO FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DUE TO THE AGE APPROPRIATE MATERIAL.OUR FIRST PANELISTS IS SERGEANT SULLIVAN, WHO IS WITH THE FRISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HE IS CURRENTLY ASSIGNED AS A STUDENT RESOURCE OFFICER SUPERVISOR.
SERGEANT SULLIVAN HAS PROACTIVELY BROUGHT AWARENESS TO FACULTY STUDENTS AND PARENTS RELATED TO THE DANGERS OF FENTANYL AND LOOKS FORWARD TO INCREASING THE AWARENESS FOR ALL OF US IN THE COMMUNITY AND BY ALSO BEING A PART OF OUR TOWN HALL.
SERGEANT SULLIVAN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT THIS EVENING TO LEARN ABOUT SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
FIRST OFF, WHAT A POWERFUL VIDEO.
I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF LESSONS TO LEARN FROM THAT VIDEO.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS TRAVIS SULLIVAN.
I AM SERGEANT WITH THE FRISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I'M CURRENTLY ASSIGNED AS A SCHOOL RESOURCE SUPERVISOR.
I AM OFFICED AT FRISCO HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I TRAVEL AROUND A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT AS NEEDED. I WOULD DO.
>> THAT'LL HELP OUT. THANK YOU.
I DO HAVE A FEW THINGS I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL RELATED TO FENTANYL AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING LOCALLY HERE.
FENTANYL IS A SYNTHETIC OPIOID.
IT'S MOST COMMONLY PRESSED INTO ELICIT PILLS, FAKE PILLS.
MOST COMMONLY IS GOING TO BE THE BLUE M30 PILLS THAT YOU SEE UP TOP THERE.
AS YOU CAN TELL, THEY ARE EXTREMELY ACCURATE TO PRESCRIPTION PILLS, WHICH I THINK GIVES USERS CONFIDENCE THAT MAYBE IT IS A PRESCRIPTION AND THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE APT TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT THEY FEEL LIKE MAYBE CAME OUT OF A PHARMACY.
THEY PUT IT IN XANAX, THEY PUT IT IN ADDERALL.
A LOT OF TIMES THESE PILLS WHEN THEY GET TESTED THERE A COCKTAIL OF SUBSTANCES THE ADDERALL PILLS THEY'LL CONTAIN FENTANYL, BUT THEY'LL ALSO OFTENTIMES CONTAIN METHAMPHETAMINES.
YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF COCKTAIL OF SUBSTANCES YOU'RE GETTING WHEN YOU PURCHASE ONE OF THESE PILLS, WHICH IS WHY WE REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ONLY TRUST MEDICATION THAT COMES FROM A LICENSED PHARMACIST AND TO NEVER TRUST A PILL THAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
IT IS DEFINITELY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND, I'VE RETRIEVED THE SUBSTANCES.
I'VE HAD THE SUBSTANCE THAT'S TESTED.
YES, FENTANYL IS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S MOST COMMONLY KNOWN BY STREET TERM SO WE GOT BLUES, PERCOCET, PERCS, PERKS PARKS WITH A K, YURKS, FETTY AND THAT CHANGES.
BY THE TIME I JUST SAID THAT, I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER NAMES OUT THERE FOR IT WITHIN SOCIAL MEDIA APPS OR THE WAY THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE REFERRING TO IT WHEN THEY'RE ORDERING IT.
THEY'RE MOST COMMONLY PURCHASED OFF A SOCIAL MEDIA APPS.
TELEGRAM IS THE MOST FREQUENT APP THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
IT'S AN ENCRYPTED MESSAGING APP.
IF YOU SEE TELEGRAM ON MAYBE YOUR KID'S PHONE, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
IT LOOKS LIKE ANY TYPE OF BUSINESS TYPE APP.
IT'S NONDESCRIPT, BUT IT IS A MESSAGING APP, IT'S ENCRYPTED, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RETRIEVE THOSE MESSAGES AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF OUR DEALERS MOVING THEIR PRODUCT WITH THEIR USERS.
WE ALSO SEE IT ON INSTAGRAM, SNAPCHAT, WHATSAPP, REALLY ANY COMMUNICATION VEHICLE.
THEY'RE USING IT ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE.
RECENTLY WE HAD A CASE WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL WAS USING IT WHILE DRIVING.
I'M NOT TALKING IN THE SENSE OF WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DRINKING AND DRIVING, THEY CONSUMED ALCOHOL AT THE BAR AND SO WE'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE DRINKING AND DRIVING, I'M TALKING ABOUT THEY'RE SMOKING IT ON FOIL.
LITERALLY WHILE DRIVING, SMOKING IT WITH A LIGHTER ON FOIL WHILE DRIVING, SO CONSUMING IT WHILE DRIVING.
THESE ARE THE TRENDS IN WHICH WE'RE SEEING INDIVIDUALS USE IT.
WE'RE SEEING THIS IN THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
I'VE FOUND THE FOIL IN THE BATHROOMS WHERE STUDENTS WERE USING IT.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE TAKING A LIGHTER, THEY'RE PUTTING IT UNDER THE FOIL AND THEY'RE BURNING THE PILL AND THEY'RE [INAUDIBLE] ALONG THE FOIL, AND THEY'RE BREATHING IN WITH A CUT STRAW, THE VAPORS THAT GETS MORE USES OUT OF ONE PILL.
YOU CAN STILL OVERDOSE EASILY ON THAT BY THE WAY.
THEY WILL CRUSH IT AND SNORT IT.
LOOK FOR CUT STRAWS OR RESIDUE OR PARTS OF PILLS AND THEN THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF TAKING IT ORALLY, JUST BY A TABLET OR A PILL.
THOSE ARE THE MOST COMMON WAYS WE'RE SEEING THAT UTILIZE LOCALLY.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT IT'S USED.
[00:30:03]
THERE'S LIQUID FENTANYL, THERE'S PATCHES THAT ARE MORE OF A MEDICAL TYPE WAY THAT IT'S BEEN USED.BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN A LOT OF THAT BEING ABUSED HERE.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EFFECTS THAT WE SEE? IT ISN'T AN OPIOID.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF THE RELAXATION.
THE SEDATION TYPE OF PARENTS DROWSINESS, PINPOINT PUPILS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SEE.
IF YOU'RE WORRIED, YOU'RE WONDERING IF SOMEONE MAY BE ON IT.
LOOK FOR THEIR PUPILS, LOOK FOR THEM TO BE EXTREMELY CONSTRICTED AND THEN THE RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION IS A BIG ONE AS WELL.
AGAIN, WITH THE SEDATION THEY'RE ARE GOING TO BE IN A STATE OF STUPOR, EXTREMELY LETHARGIC SLOW MOVEMENTS.
AGAIN WITH THE PINPOINT PUPILS, COLD, CLAMMY SKIN.
THE MAIN MAJOR ONE IS GOING TO BE YOUR RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION THOUGH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT KILLS.
THEY JUST QUIT BREATHING TO THE POINT THAT THEY LOSE OXYGEN AND THEY DIE.
THAT'S THE MAIN FACTOR WITHIN THIS THAT CAUSES THE OVERDOSES.
ON A NATIONAL LEVEL OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, THERE'S BEEN AN EXPLOSION, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS RELATED TO SYNTHETIC.
2021, IT WAS OVER 70,000 OF THOSE.
AS LITTLE AS TWO MILLIGRAMS CAN BE LETHAL.
SO FOR REPRESENTATION IN THE BACKGROUND THERE, THAT'S A POTENTIAL DOSE OF FENTANYL.
THEN IT'S 100 TIMES MORE POTENT THAN MORPHINE.
AGAIN, IT'S COMMONLY MIXED IN WITH OTHER DRUGS, BUT MAYBE A HEROIN USER, THANKS FOR GETTING SOME FENTANYL ON THERE AS WELL.
LET'S [INAUDIBLE] INDIVIDUAL AND THEN THE DEA REPORTS THAT OUT OF THE 10 OF THOSE CONTAIN A POTENTIALLY LETHAL DOSE OF FENTANYL.
THAT IS SIGNIFICANT TO THE AMOUNT OF LETHAL PILLS THAT ARE BEING PUSHED.
THESE ARE SOME MORE NATIONAL TRENDS.
IT'S THE SAME SUBSTANCE, IT'S [INAUDIBLE] TO LOOK LIKE CANDY AND IT LOOKS LIKE PAIRS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
CARFENTANIL IS A TRANQUILIZER, AN AGENT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO THE GRAPHIC THERE IS ACTUALLY.
REPORTS THAT THEY, IN THE MOST RECENT YEAR IN '22 AND '23, PERCENT OF FENTANYL POWDER AND SEVEN PERCENT OF PILLS [INAUDIBLE] THE ISSUE WITH XYLAZINE IS NARCAN IS WHAT FIRST RESPONDERS EFFECTS OF AN OPIOID OVERDOSE.
THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE OVERDOSING AND WHEN IT'S THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM.
ME TOO. THERE WAS OVER MILLION FENTANYL LACE PILL SEIZED, OVER [INAUDIBLE] 410 MILLION LETHAL DOSES OF FENTANYL AND JUST FOR PERSPECTIVE, OUR POPULATION IS 331 MILLION.
AND THAT'S JUST WHAT WAS SEIZED.
THAT DOESN'T COUNT FOR YOUR LOCAL POLICE, BORDER PATROL, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
A LOT OF TIMES FACTORS, WHY ARE THEY IN A PRODUCT COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO BUSINESS.
THEY CAN TAKE A KILO OF FENTANYL POWDER.
THAT ENDED HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS AND 10S OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITH NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE.
THAT'S THE ONE. I DO WANT TO SAY THE FEDERAL DRUG ADMINISTRATION HURRICANE IS THAT IS USED.
[00:35:08]
[INAUDIBLE] SYMPTOMS IT CAN COUNTERACT SOME OF THAT AND BLOCK IT AND RESTORE RESPIRATORY FUNCTION.HOWEVER, I WILL CAUTION MULTIPLE [INAUDIBLE] SUFFERING FROM OVERDOSE.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PASS TO OUR CHAT [INAUDIBLE] OR CONCERNS.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME OR THE FRISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, SERGEANT SULLIVAN, I APPRECIATE IT.
BEFORE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND RECOGNIZE MAYOR CHENEY FOR BEING HERE.
WE THANK YOU AND SUPPORTING THIS AND THE CITY OF FRISCO AS WELL.
[APPLAUSE] DR. GAMBER IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, HE'S THE CITY OF FRISCO'S MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND ALSO A EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN.
HE RECEIVED HIS MEDICAL DEGREE FROM TCU AND UNTHSC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
HE'S BEEN IN PRACTICE OF MEDICINE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
>> SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I WANT TO CONNECT WITH YOU AS PARENTS FIRST, I'VE GOT THREE TEENAGERS IN FRISCO SCHOOLS.
I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH THEM AT HOME.
IF I CAN LEAVE YOU WITH ONE PHRASE IS THAT ONE PILL CAN KILL YOUR CHILD.
I THINK THEY SAID IT VERY WELL, BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT I'VE TOLD MY CHILDREN TOO.
THERE'S JUST NO MARGIN FOR MISTAKES WITH THIS.
AS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I READ EVERY DEAD ON SCENE REPORT OF EVERY PERSON THAT DIES IN FRISCO, TEXAS.
LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, IT'S IN OUR CITY BECAUSE I SEE IT IN THE DEATH REPORTS, AND I SEE IT IN THE LIVING REPORTS TOO AS A PRACTICING EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN.
IT'S HERE AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO STOP, AND EDUCATION IS THE WAY THAT WE HANDLE THIS.
WE'VE EDUCATED EVERY POLICE OFFICER, EVERY FIREFIGHTER OUT THERE THAT WOULD RESPOND ON 911 CALLS.
I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT FRISCO ISD, THEY'VE BEEN VERY PROGRESSIVE.
WE'VE GOTTEN OUR CANDIDATE EVERY SCHOOL WITH OUR NURSES AND WITH OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
[APPLAUSE] THERE'S NO DOWNSIDE TO USING NARCAN, IT ONLY REVERSES OPIOID OVERDOSES.
WHEN YOU GO INTO RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION FROM TAKING AN OPIOID, AND THAT'S WHAT LEADS TO DEATH BECAUSE YOU STOPPED BREATHING, NARCAN REVERSES THAT, AND IT WILL HELP YOU BREATHE AGAIN, AND THAT'S WHY WE CARRY IT AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE IT AVAILABLE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
AS OUR OFFICER SAID, IT'S AVAILABLE OVER THE COUNTER NOW, AND IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT IT, SOMETHING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND ABOUT IT'S AVAILABILITY.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE'VE HAD CAMPAIGNS IN THE PAST ABOUT HANDS-ONLY CPR AND GETTING PEOPLE TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH DOING CHEST COMPRESSIONS.
TO ME, THIS IS ANOTHER ITERATION OF THAT, THERE'S NO DOWNSIDE TO THIS ABOUT USING NARCAN ON AN UNRESPONSIVE PERSON.
I THINK THE LAST THING I WANT TO IMPART ON YOU IS I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EVERY YEAR, SHATTERED DREAMS. IT'S A GREAT VENUE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S HIGH RISK FOR KIDS.
MY DAUGHTER HAS PROM THIS WEEKEND.
WE GREW UP IN AN ERA WHERE DRINKING AND DRIVING WAS THE NUMBER 1 REASON THAT OUR TEENAGE CHILDREN WERE GOING TO DIE.
THAT'S STILL AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THING TO TALK ABOUT WITH YOUR TEENAGERS.
IT IS STILL REALLY HIGH UP THERE ON THE LIST OF THINGS THAT CAN HARM THEM, BUT IT'S NO LONGER NUMBER 1.
THE NUMBER 1 THING THAT'S GOING TO KILL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD BY A TWO-TO-ONE MARGIN IS A FENTANYL OVERDOSE, AND THAT HAS JUST MOVED IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT DRINKING AND DRIVING, AND TEXTING AND DRIVING, AND HAVING TEENAGERS TO BE SAFE.
BUT WE MUST START TALKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WHEN YOU JUST LOOK AT THE DATA THAT THE OFFICER PRESENTED, THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN FRONT OF ALL PARENTS AND TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT IN EVERY VENUE WE CAN.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TOWARD THE END TOO.
[00:40:04]
>> THE NEXT PANELIST IS SHANNON WHITE.
SHE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS WITH A DEGREE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
AFTER HER LAST DRINK ON AUGUST 24TH, 2007, SHE LEFT THE TEACHING FIELD AND RETURNED TO SCHOOL TO BECOME A LICENSED CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY COUNSELOR.
IN 2011, SHE TURNED HER DREAM OF HAVING A TREATMENT CENTER INTO A REALITY BY FOUNDING GRACE TO CHANGE.
SHANNON HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN MULTIPLE DRUG COURTS, HAS TAUGHT MORAL RECOGNITION THERAPY CLASSES INSIDE THE COLLIN COUNTY JAIL AND HAS BECOME WELL-KNOWN, AN AVID ADVOCATE FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM THE DISEASE OF ADDICTION IN COLLIN COUNTY.
>> THANK YOU. A BUNCH OF SMARTER PEOPLE THAN ME JUST TOLD YOU A WHOLE LOT MORE INFORMATION.
[LAUGHTER] THEN I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU, BUT FIRST I WANT TO TELL YOU, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.
WE'VE GOT TWO CELEBRITIES THAT ARE HERE.
MIKE AND I APOLOGIZE, I FORGOT YOUR FIRST NAME.
>> GAYLE. THEY BOTH LOST THEIR CHILDREN TO FENTANYL OVERDOSES.
I'M SORRY, I GET EMOTIONAL WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS.
GAYLE WAS JUST ON CHANNEL 5 NEWS, AND SHE AND MIKE ARE BOTH HERE, THEY COULD CURL UP IN A BALL AND NOBODY WOULD NOT EVER LEAVE THEIR HOUSE AND NOBODY WOULD SAY A WORD.
BUT THEY ARE HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT US AND TO HELP US EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS.
[APPLAUSE] WE'VE ALL SAID IT, ONE PILL CAN KILL.
IT'S NOT A TRITE STATEMENT, IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY TRUE STATEMENT.
OR DON'T WANT TO BE REDUNDANT.
I WAS KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL TEACHER, SO THIS IS MY ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT FENTANYL CAN LOOK LIKE.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MIXING THE MEDICATIONS TOGETHER.
THEY HAVE ZERO IDEA HOW TO MEASURE IT, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
THEY MIX TWO THINGS TOGETHER, THEY MAKE A PILL, THEY PRESS IT AND THEY SELL IT.
NOBODY HAS ANY IDEA WHAT'S IN IT.
THIS IS THE INCREASE, 886% INCREASE IN FENTANYL DEATHS.
I REACHED OUT THIS MORNING TO THE CORONER'S OFFICE, 13 OVERDOSE DEATHS SO FAR THIS YEAR.
TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IT TAKES TWO MONTHS FOR THEM TO CONFIRM A TOXICOLOGY REPORT.
THAT'S BASICALLY JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
WHEN SOMEONE OVERDOSES THAT WE KNOW, WE STARTED PUTTING IN A DEATH REQUESTS SO WE CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH FENTANYL.
WE HAD A 16-YEAR-OLD FRISCO STUDENT THAT WAS IN OUR PROGRAM WITH US.
HE WAS SITTING IN TREATMENT WITH US TUESDAY NIGHT.
HE OVERDOSED IN HIS BED AFTER HE CAME TO GROUP.
IT'S HERE. WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE SIGNS, I WON'T BORE YOU, I DON'T WANT TO BE REDUNDANT.
BUT IT IS HERE, IT'S IN EVERY SINGLE DRUG.
JUST THIS WEEK, WE'VE HAD A HISPANIC MALE WHO'S 30 YEARS OLD, HE'S BEEN DOING COCAINE FOR 10 YEARS.
HE CAME IN, HE TESTED POSITIVE FOR FENTANYL, HE SAID I NOTICED MY SMELL WAS DIFFERENT.
I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS DOING FENTANYL TOOK US ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO GET HIM TO STOP CRYING, HE WAS SO PANICKED.
WE HAVE A 17-YEAR-OLD YOUNG LADY THAT'S IN OUR TREATMENT PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.
SHE OVERDOSED ON A PILL AND A HALF.
HER 15-YEAR-OLD FRIEND, DID HANDS-ONLY CPR ON HER UNTIL THE POLICE COULD GET THERE, NOR CANDOR, AND SHE IS ALIVE AND SCARED TO DEATH, BUT IN OUR TREATMENT PROGRAM.
IT'S IN MARIJUANA, IT'S IN ACID, IT'S AN LSD, IT'S IN METHAMPHETAMINE, IT'S IN HEROIN, IT'S IN COCAINE, IT'S IN OXYCODONE, HYDROCODONE, IT'S AN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU CAN BUY.
THERE'S A COMPANY CALLED MILLENNIUM DRUG TESTING THAT WE UTILIZE.
THE NUMBER 1 COMBINATION THEY FOUND IN THEIR DRUG TESTING IS MARIJUANA AND FENTANYL, THE NUMBER 1.
NOW ANYBODY THAT'S IN HERE KNOWS THAT JUST ABOUT EVERY STUDENT IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND JUNIOR HIGHS ARE BEING EXPOSED TO VAPE PENS, DAB PENS, MARIJUANA, THAT IS LACED AS WELL.
WE'VE HAD TEARS STREAMING DOWN KID'S FACE.
MISS I SWEAR I'M JUST SMOKING WEED, I KNOW BUT SHE TESTED POSITIVE FOR FENTANYL.
LAST THING I WANT TO SAY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT NARCAN.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME NARCAN OVER HERE THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU TAKE WITH YOU.
IN COLLIN COUNTY IF YOU ARE A COLLIN COUNTY RESIDENT AND YOU DO NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, YOU CAN GET TREATMENT FOR OUTPATIENT,
[00:45:02]
INPATIENT, DETOX, ALL OF THAT CAN BE AT NO CHARGE.IF YOU HAVE MANAGED CARE INSURANCE, THERE'S A PLETHORA OF PLACES THAT YOU CAN GO.
BUT IN COLLIN COUNTY, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT, THERE ARE STILL PLACES THAT YOU CAN GO AND RECEIVE TREATMENT.
I'VE PUT THE NUMBERS UP HERE, LIFE PATHS SYSTEMS, THERE'S A PLANO AND MCKINNEY LOCATION AND GRACETOCHANGE IS IN MCKINNEY AND WE HAVE ADOLESCENT AND ADULT PROGRAM.
WE'RE ACTUALLY THE ONLY ADOLESCENT PROGRAM IN COLLIN COUNTY THAT WORKS WITH THE INDIGENT POPULATION.
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD THAT PEOPLE CAN GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, AND PLEASE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
ILLUSTRATIONS WITH THE PAPER PLATES ARE SIMPLE.
BUT AS PARENTS, ALL OF YOU TALKED TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT CROSSING THE STREET.
LOOK BOTH WAYS, GO LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT.
YOU TAUGHT THEM, AND THEN THEY WALKED OUT IN THE STREET AND YOU YANK THEM BACK, PUT THE FEAR OF GOD IN THEM BECAUSE HE SCREAMED IN THEIR FACE BECAUSE YOU WERE SO SCARED THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.
THIS IS THE REALITY THAT WE HAVE WITH FENTANYL.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF FEAR THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN TO THEM.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
>> THANK YOU, SHANNON. OUR FINAL PANELIST THIS EVENING IS JAMES CALDWELL.
HE'S BEEN WITH FRISCO ISD FOR 14 YEARS AND SERVES AS THE SAFE SCHOOLS COORDINATOR FOR THE DISTRICT.
HE IS A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR AND A CERTIFIED OLWEUS BULLYING PREVENTION TRAINER.
HE'S BEEN WORKING WITH ADOLESCENTS, ADULTS, FAMILIES, AND COUPLES FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW.
>> THANK YOU, WILLIAM. YEAH, I DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT, AND EVERYBODY IS BUSY WITH THE WEATHER.
JUST GLAD TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE TONIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER A FEW THINGS ABOUT WHAT WE DO AS FAR AS PREVENTION EFFORTS AND INTERVENTION EFFORTS IN THE DISTRICT AND HOW THAT TIES TO OUR WHOLE CHILD PROGRAM.
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE.
SO I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT, AND WE'LL GO INTO SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING SPECIFICALLY TO DEAL WITH THE FENTANYL ISSUE AS WELL.
WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS HERE.
THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CAN'T BE FIXED JUST BY EDUCATORS, CAN BE FIXED JUST BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, BY DOCTORS, BY TREATMENT CENTERS.
IT TAKES EVERYBODY, IT TAKES PARENTS, STUDENTS, PLACES OF WORSHIP, AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO WITH OTHER FORMS OF PREVENTION ON OUR CAMPUSES AS WELL.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BULLYING PREVENTION, SUICIDE PREVENTION, THREAT ASSESSMENTS.
WE HAVE A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM WHERE PEOPLE COME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS TO GIVE THEIR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THE ISSUE.
EVERY CAMPUS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT EVERY CAMPUS IN THE DISTRICT HAS A WHOLE CHILD COMMITTEE FROM PRE-KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S A TEAM MADE UP OF ABOUT 8-12 STAFF MEMBERS.
IT COULD BE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IS ACTUALLY THE LEADER OF IT AND THEN WE HAVE A COUNSELOR ON THERE.
WE HAVE A TEACHER FROM DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS OR FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FOR THE OLDER GRADES.
WE HAVE SPED REPRESENTATIVE 504, REPRESENTATIVE SLOS.
I HAD A MEETING ACTUALLY TODAY WITH THE SITE COORDINATORS FROM THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND WE GO OVER THINGS THAT ARE LIKE THIS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT THAT JUST POP UP FROM NOW AND AGAIN.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHOLE CHILD, WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT ACADEMIC SUCCESS IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT ACADEMICS.
IT INVOLVES THINGS LIKE MENTAL FACTORS, SOCIAL FACTORS, ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, PHYSICAL FACTORS.
IT'S NOT JUST ONE THING THAT DETERMINES AN OUTCOME AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND BECAUSE THOSE THINGS UNDERLYING THESE ISSUES THAT ARE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. LET'S TAKE A LOOK UP THERE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE.
SOME OF THOSE POSITIVE, SOME OF THEM NOT SO POSITIVE.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT SCHOOL CONNECTEDNESS, LOT OF RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT WHEN YOU DO THINGS TO ENHANCE YOUR SCHOOL CONNECTEDNESS AND BUILD A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE, THAT'S THE MOST POWERFUL THING YOU CAN DO IN PREVENTION.
IT HELPS WITH DRUG PREVENTION, BULLYING PREVENTION, SUICIDE, ALL OF OUR PREVENTION EFFORTS.
WE REALLY PUT A BIG FOCUS ON THAT FROM AGAIN, KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND WE MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET KIDS INVOLVED.
LIKE IF KIDS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES FOR EXAMPLE ARE LESS LIKELY TO USE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AND MORE LIKELY TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
PEOPLE WHO FEEL CONNECTED IN SCHOOLS ARE MORE LIKELY TO ENJOY SCHOOL,
[00:50:06]
SAY THAT THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME AT SCHOOL LIKE THEIR TEACHERS, DO WELL, ENACT ACADEMICALLY, AND GO ON TO A SUCCESSFUL LIFE AFTERWARDS.ALSO, WHEN WE JUST THINK OF RELATIONSHIPS, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF THE HARVARD GRANT STUDY.
IT WAS A STUDY DONE STARTING IN 1935.
HARVARD FOLLOWED OVER 700 MEN FOR 75 YEARS TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS AND LONGEVITY IN LIFE AND BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR WAS HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
WE TRY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE KIDS ARE CONNECTED TO THEIR PEERS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO CONNECTED TO A POSITIVE ADULT ON CAMPUS.
THEN WHEN YOU LOOK UP THERE AT THE TOP PART WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT STRESS, THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT KIDS SAY THEY TAKE DRUGS, 70% OF KIDS SAY IT'S DUE TO STRESS, ALSO BOREDOM AND EXCITEMENT.
BEFORE WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF THE DEATHS WERE COMING FROM THIS 70% GROUP WHO IS MORE ADDICTED.
BUT NOW WE'RE SEEING IT JUST FROM KIDS WHO WANTS SOME EXCITEMENT FOR THEY REMAIN IN BOREDOM.
KIDS WHO DON'T NORMALLY ABUSE DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND IT'S KILLING THEM.
WITH STRESS TOO, THE MAIN THING THAT THEY FIND STRESSFUL ARE GRADES, YOU WOULDN'T THINK THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.
WELL, BUT THAT IS KIDS ARE OVERLOADED.
WHEN I WAS YOUNG, KIDS PLAYED TOO MUCH.
I THINK A LOT OF KIDS WORK TOO MUCH NOW, THEY'RE OVERLOADED.
THEY'VE GOT TOO MUCH ON THEIR PLATE.
WE CAN ALL NO MATTER WHO WE ARE ONLY HANDLE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF STRESS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE.
WE INHERIT PREDISPOSITIONS WHICH ARE WEAKNESSES IN OUR BODY AND IF YOU PUT ENOUGH STRESS ON THEM, IT'S GOING TO SHOW UP AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE A LOT OF TIMES WITH THE KIDS.
THEY USE DRUGS TO KILL THAT, THAT FEELING JUST TO TRY TO GET RID OF THAT FEELING.
WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE IN THE DISTRICT? ONE THING WE DO, WE HAVE ADVISORY LESSONS AND ADVISORY LESSONS MIGHT BE LIKE THE KID THAT WAS IN THAT PICTURE THERE TRYING TO HELP HIM FIND SOME BALANCE.
THE OPPOSITE OF DYSFUNCTIONS, USUALLY DYSFUNCTION IF YOU PLAY TOO MUCH THAT'S NOT GOOD.
IF YOU WORK TOO MUCH, THAT'S NOT GOOD.
HELPING KIDS FIND THE MID GROUND.
ADVISORY LESSONS OCCUR AGAIN IN PRE-K ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND THESE ARE LESSONS THAT 15, 20 MINUTE LESSONS ON THINGS LIKE GOAL SETTING, OPTIMISM, SELF-CONTROL, TIME-MANAGEMENT THINGS, SKILLS THAT KIDS NEED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE LET OUR STUDENT LEADERS HELP US WITH DECIDING THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN THESE CLASSES.
THEY EVEN HELPED DESIGN THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE.
THOSE OCCUR ON A WEEKLY BASIS IN ELEMENTARY AND ON A MONTHLY BASIS OR BIMONTHLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
THEN RED RIBBON WEEK, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH RED RIBBON WEEK, THAT'S IN OCTOBER.
REALLY INSTEAD OF JUST DRUG PREVENTION, WE TALK ABOUT BULLYING PREVENTION BECAUSE THAT'S NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH AS WELL.
THEN WE TALK A LOT ABOUT REPORTING.
WE TEACH KIDS FROM AN EARLY AGE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPORTING AND TATTLING, REPORTING STOPS TROUBLE, TODDLING, WASTE TIME, AND CAUSES TROUBLE.
IF KIDS KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR, THE SIGNS OF DRUG USE ARE THE SIGNS OF SOMEONE WHO'S MAKING A THREAT, AND WE TEACH THEM AND IT'S OKAY TO REPORT THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO STOP IT.
OUR ANONYMOUS REPORTING SYSTEM LAST YEAR HAD OVER 1,000 REPORTS AND THESE WERE MOSTLY KIDS WHO MADE THESE REPORTS, SECONDARY KIDS WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PEERS USING DRUGS, OR MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BULLYING SITUATION, OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
BUT THEY'RE GETTING THE WORD THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO TALK TO US THAN THEY USED TO BE.
ALSO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR STUDENTS WHO'VE BEEN IN TROUBLE FOR DRUG USE, THEY ARE IN THE ORANGE, TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS IS A PROGRAM APPROVED BY THE STATE, AND IT'S AN INTERVENTION PROGRAM.
WHILE STUDENTS ARE AT THE SOC FOR MAYBE SOME TYPE OF DRUG OFFENSE, THEY HAVE A GROUP SESSION, SUPPORT GROUP THAT MEETS EACH WEEK TO GO OVER ONE OF THESE LESSONS AND THEY ALSO, WHILE THEY'RE THERE, WRITE A REFLECTION PAPER, REFLECTING ON WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
WHAT DID I DO? WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THAT? WHAT WAS I TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? HOW CAN I ACCOMPLISH THAT NEXT TIME? WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MAKE CHANGE THE MINDSET.
TOO OFTEN, I THINK WE FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM AND NOT THE UNDERLYING NEED.
THEN SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ON FENTANYL.
YOU GUYS SAW THIS EARLIER WE HAVE THESE UP AND EVERY SECONDARY CAMPUS, THEY'RE IN BATHROOMS, ARE IN CLASSROOMS, STUDENTS TELL US TO PUT THEM IN BATHROOMS AND CLASSROOMS. THEY DON'T REALLY LOOK AT THEM IN THE HALLWAY, THEY DON'T HAVE TIME.
WE ALSO HAVE A VIDEO THAT THEY'VE ALREADY WATCHED, AND WE USED IT DURING ADVISORY TIME.
[00:55:01]
THEN ALSO THE VIDEO THAT WE SAW TONIGHT AS I MENTIONED, THEY'RE GOING TO START USING NEXT WEEK AND IT'LL BE SHOWN TO EACH CLASSROOM.THEN THEY HAVE TIME TO PROCESS IT AND TALK ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS.
>> YOU CAN HOLD [INAUDIBLE] TRY TO PROJECT MY VOICE.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS, AND ANY OF THE PANEL MEMBERS, YOU GUYS JUST PASS THE MICROPHONE AROUND BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ON SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST QUESTION AND SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, JUST SO YOU KNOW, CAME FROM THE QR CODE THAT WAS ON THE FLYER.
BUT WE'LL GET TO THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE WRITTEN TONIGHT AS WELL. THANK YOU.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS HOW AND IN WHAT SETTINGS ARE STUDENTS INTRODUCED TO THIS DRUG? WHAT STEPS AS PARENTS CAN WE TAKE TO TRY TO AVOID OUR STUDENTS BEING INTRODUCED TO THESE DRUGS?
>> I GUESS I'LL KICK IT OFF SINCE I HAVE THE MIC.
I THINK FOR ONE THING, LIKE WE WERE JUST SAYING, IT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL FORMAT.
THESE KIDS, [INAUDIBLE] SOME OF OUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS ARE STUDENT LEADERS AND THEY'RE SAYING, IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO FIND SOME FENTANYL TONIGHT AND HAVE A PARTY.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IS MAKING OUR KIDS AWARE THAT WE KNOW THAT IT'S OUT THERE, THAT YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
WE WISH WE COULD PROTECT THEM.
[INAUDIBLE] JUST LETTING THEM KNOW THIS, GOING AHEAD AND TALKING TO THEM.
>> YEAH. JUST PUT THE MIC TOWARDS THE TOP.
>> I THINK [LAUGHTER] NOW THAT'S EVEN BETTER AND I'LL WHISPER.
I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE FINDING IS KIDS ARE ACTUALLY ADDICTED TO FENTANYL.
BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, THEY WERE TAKING BETWEEN 20-50 FENTANYL PILLS A DAY.
WHAT'S HAPPENED IS WE HAVE THIS FINE BALANCE OF YES, JUST ONE BILL CAN KILL YOU, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE ADDICTED TO A HIGH NUMBER OF FENTANYL PILLS AND THEY'RE SEARCHING THAT OUT.
I JUST THINK WHAT YOU SAID CONVERSATION IS THE BEST.
>> THE NEXT QUESTION, CAN I TEST MY KIDS FOR FENTANYL AND HOW LONG DOES IT LAST IN THE SYSTEM?
>> YES, YOU CAN. AND YOU CAN COME TO GRACETOCHANGE AND WE WILL TEST THEM FOR FREE.
IT LASTS ANYWHERE FROM 2-3 DAYS IS WHAT WE FOUND, SOME A LITTLE BIT LONGER DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THE FRUSTRATING THING IS IN TEXAS, THERE IS NOW, AGAIN, A TEST STRIP THAT YOU CAN GET THAT ACTUALLY TEST THE DRUG ITSELF.
YOU SCRATCH A LITTLE OFF, DIP IT IN WATER, DIP THE TEST STRIP IN, AND YOU CAN TELL WHETHER THERE IS FENTANYL OR NOT IN THE PILL.
THAT USED TO BE ILLEGAL, IT WAS CONSIDERED DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, BUT NOW IT IS LEGAL AGAIN.
YOU CAN TEST THEM, IT'S A URINE TEST, YOU CAN ALSO DO A BLOOD TEST, BUT WE DO AND WE DO THEM FOR FREE IN MCKINNEY.
>> ONE THING ON THE TEST FOR THE ACTUAL SUBSTANCE, THERE'S SUCH A SMALL AMOUNT WITHIN A PILL FULL OF BINDER IS YOU MAY GET A PORTION OF THE PILL THAT'S NOT FENTANYL.
YOU MAY THINK, WELL, THAT'S NOT FENTANYL.
VERY WELL MAY STILL BE FENTANYL, YOU JUST MAY NOT HAVE GOT THE PORTION THAT HAS IT IN IT.
AND THEN DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON THE TESTS?
>> AT GRACETOCHANGE, DO YOU TEST BY URINE, BY BLOOD? ON THE URINE. OKAY.
>> GOOD. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A HOLD OF THE RIGHT TEST.
I WILL SAY SOME OF THE ROUTINE ONES CAN MISS IT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT ONE, SO THAT'S [OVERLAPPING].
BECAUSE THIS IS, IT'S A SYNTHETIC OPIOID.
IT'S NOT NATURAL, IT'S LAB MADE AND SO IT CAN EVADE SOME TESTING.
AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE SMART FOLKS LIKE HER WHO UNDERSTAND THE RIGHT TEST TO USE TO TEST FOR IT.
THE OTHER THING IS, IF WE WERE TO COME TO A SCHOOL AND GIVE
[01:00:02]
SOMEBODY NARCAN IN ANY VENUE AND THEY WAKE UP, AND THEY DON'T SEEK EVALUATION, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THEY DID? WELL, WE KNOW THEY DID AN OPIOID BECAUSE THEY WOKE UP WITH NARCAN, IT'S THE ONLY THING IT WORKS ON.BUT DON'T LET YOUR KIDS FOOL YOU AND SAY NO, WE'VE HAD KIDS REFUSE TRANSPORT AND THEIR FAMILIES ENDORSE THAT REFUSAL OF TRANSPORT.
AS MUCH AS A PHYSICIAN AS A PARENT, THEY NEED TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE ER.
MAYBE THEY'RE GOING TO BE FINE MEDICALLY, BUT THEY NEED THE EVENT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT GOES ON WITH THE ENTIRE MEDICAL TEAM AND THE LIFE PAUSE TO SAY YOU NEARLY DIED, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.
IF ANYBODY IS INVOLVED WITH A LOVED ONE WHO WAKES UP WITH NARCAN, THAT CAN'T BE BRUSHED OFF, THAT'S ONLY AN OPIATE OVERDOSE, AND IT'S GOT TO BE ADDRESSED IN A MORE FORMAL SETTING THAN JUST SAYING, HEY, THIS IS OKAY, IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
WE GO TO GREAT LENGTHS AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE RESPOND, IF SOMEBODY SAYS I DON'T WANT TO GO, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TALK HIM INTO GOING IN THESE SITUATIONS.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT, AND I'M GOING OFF ON A TANGENT HERE, BUT IT'S JUST, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS TO TALK ABOUT WITH THIS.
NARCAN'S FAIRLY SHORT-ACTING, SOME OPIATE PILLS BECAUSE THESE ARE MIXED INGESTION, THEY LAST A LONG TIME.
I'VE HAD PATIENTS TAKE LONG-ACTING OPIATES.
FENTANYL CAN BE A SHORT-ACTING OPIATE, BUT IT CAN BE POTENTIATED WITH OTHER THINGS THAT'LL MAKE IT VERY LONG-ACTING.
NARCAN CAN BRIEFLY REVERSE THINGS AND PEOPLE WAKE UP AND THEN THE RISK OF US LEAVING AFTER WE WAKE YOU UP WITH NARCAN IS THAT YOU FALL RIGHT BACK ASLEEP BECAUSE YOU HAVE LONG-ACTING OPIATES IN YOUR SYSTEM.
I'VE SEEN PATIENTS BOUNCE BACK TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT THAT WE THOUGHT WERE AWAKE AFTER NARCAN.
A DOSE OF NARCAN WILL WAKE YOU UP AND IMPROVE YOUR BREATHING, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE TO FIGURE OUT.
DID YOU TAKE A SHORT-ACTING OR A LONG-ACTING OPIATE? WAS IT MIXED? THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO THIS AND THAT'S WHY THAT LIFE INTERVENTIONS GOT TO OCCUR AFTER SOMEBODY IS RESUSCITATED WITH NARCAN.
>>THE NEXT QUESTION IS, AND I GUESS SERGEANT, THIS ONE'S PROBABLY FOR YOU.
WHAT IS LAW ENFORCEMENT DOING TO FIGHT AGAINST LOCAL DRUG DEALERS AND WHAT ABOUT THE ONES WHO ARE BRINGING THE PRODUCT INTO OUR SCHOOLS OR DISTRIBUTING IT TO OUR KIDS?
>> I WOULD SAY OVERALL, IT'S A VERY PROACTIVE TEAM EFFORT WITHIN THE AGENCY, AS WELL AS BRINGING IN COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN ISSUE THAT ONE AGENCY ALONE CAN HANDLE.
BUT FOR US, IT STARTS WITH THE COMMUNITY PROVIDING US WITH INFORMATION, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH OUR TIP411 PROGRAM OR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION TO OUR WEBSITE OR ON OUR APP.
YOU HAVE WAYS THAT YOU CAN REPORT THINGS.
THOSE REPORTS DON'T FALL ON DEAF EARS, THOSE GO IMMEDIATELY TO OUR INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION AND THEN THEY SEND THOSE OUT TO WHATEVER ARM OF THE AGENCY THAT'S BEST SUITED TO INVESTIGATE IT.
IF IT'S A SCHOOL-RELATED TIP, IT COMES TO OUR SRO DIVISION, IF IT'S A PATROL-RELATED TIP, OUR PATROL TAKES A LOOK, BUT IF IT'S SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT IT NEEDS TO GO OUR SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT, IT GOES OVER THERE TO THEM.
AGAIN, WE INVOLVE OUR PATROL DIVISION, WE INVOLVE OUR SRO DIVISION WITH THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT OUR SROS BUILT WITH OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR STUDENTS TO FEEL CONFIDENT TO PROVIDE US WITH INFORMATION THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO AND WE CAN FURTHER INVESTIGATE.
THEN OUR SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION, THEY TAKE A VERY PROACTIVE ROLE IN TRYING TO INVESTIGATE, GET SUBPOENAS, SEARCH WARRANTS, AND REALLY TRACE THAT ALL THE WAY DOWN THAT RABBIT TRAIL ON WHERE THIS ORIGINATED.
IF WE HAVE AN OVERDOSE, DEATH, OR EVEN A SIGNIFICANT OVERDOSE THAT WE KNOW WAS AN ILLEGAL DRUG-RELATED OVERDOSE, THAT REPORT GETS GENERATED FROM PATROL, THE INDIVIDUAL GOES TO GET MEDICAL ATTENTION BECAUSE THAT'S THE MAIN CONCERN, BUT THAT INCIDENT REPORT GOES TO OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION WHERE THEY REVIEW EVERY ONE OF THOSE REPORTS AND THEY DETERMINE IF THERE'S ACTIONABLE INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN FOLLOW UP ON, AND IF SO, THEY CHASE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN.
WE'RE BLESSED AS AN AGENCY TO HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE TO INVEST THAT TIME INTO FOLLOWING THOSE LEADS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
WE'VE DEFINITELY FOLLOWED THAT TRAIL ALL THE WAY DOWN AND MADE ARREST FOR DEALERS WHO HAVE SUPPLIED USERS WHO HAVE OVERDOSED.
AGAIN, JUST A WHOLE TEAM EFFORT ON THAT.
[01:05:03]
>> GREAT. THIS NEXT ONE IS MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A QUESTION, BUT IT'S I THINK, VERY EDUCATIONAL.
IS THERE A WAY TO STOP STATING IT'S AN OVERDOSE AND REFER TO IT AS POISONING? IT MAY HIT MORE WITH OUR STUDENTS.
BEFORE I SEND THAT TO YOU ALL, I'M GOING TO JUMP ON THIS ONE.
IN OUR FIRST VIDEO WE SHOWED TO OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS, WE SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT THIS EXACT THING.
IF YOU SEE INTERVIEWS WITH THE HEAD OF THE DEA, SHE WILL OFTEN CALL IT FENTANYL POISONING.
I THINK ONE THING THAT YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT IS GETTING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT LIKE A TRADITIONAL DRUG OVERDOSE THAT WE THINK OF, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEBODY LIKE ME WHO'S IN MY MID-50S, IT'S NOT A DERELICT ON THE STREET.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING OF THE FENTANYL POISONING ARE MAYBE TAKING IT EVEN FOR THEIR FIRST TIME, AND A LOT OF THEM LOOK LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE VIDEOS.
NOT ONLY THE FOUR IN THE VIDEO, BUT ALSO ALL THOSE PARENTS WHO WERE CARRYING THE PICTURES OF THEIR CHILDREN.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO YOUR KIDS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A POISONING, IT'S NOT A LONG-TERM DRUG USER OVERDOSING ON TOO MUCH OF A CERTAIN DRUG.
IT'S JUST ACTUALLY THEM GETTING KILLED BY A SINGLE PILL.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT?
>> NO. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH THAT SHIFT IN TERMINOLOGY THERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME STATISTICS THAT SAY 99% OF FENTANYL-RELATED DEATHS WERE UNINTENDED, THERE WAS NO INTENT THERE TO OVERDOSE OR TO DIE FROM IT.
THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GETTING OFFERED SOMETHING AT A PARTY FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THEY LOOK AT IT AND THEY THINK IT'S A PRESCRIPTION PILL, OR IT'S ADDERALL, IT'S GOING TO GIVE ME SOME FOCUS, OR IT'S GOING TO GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF HIGH, AND THEY'RE DYING FROM IT.
THERE WAS NO REAL INTENT BEHIND THAT.
I AGREE WITH THAT SHIFT IN TERMINOLOGY AS WELL.
>> I COMPLETELY SUPPORT IT AS WELL.
TO GIVE YOU SOME FRAME OF REFERENCE ON THE STRENGTH OF THIS DRUG.
IF YOU WERE TO GET IN A CAR WRECK OUT HERE AND BREAK YOUR LEG, I'VE USED FENTANYL FOR 20 YEARS ON PATIENTS, THE DOSE WOULD BE 50 OR 100 MICROGRAMS, THESE PILLS ARE 30 MILLIGRAMS, THEY'RE 100 TO 200 TO 00 TIMES AS STRONG AS THE MAXIMUM DOSE WE WOULD GIVE YOU.
IT'S YOUR CHILD AT A PARTY AND THEY GOT HANDED A PILL AND THEY WERE UNDER SOME PEER PRESSURE AND THEIR OPIATE NAIVE, THEY'RE NOT USED TO THESE MEDICATIONS, THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE TAKEN AS XANAX OR PERCOCET, OR SOMETHING ELSE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO DIE FROM THE ONE PILL THEY GET BECAUSE THEIR BODY HAS NEVER HAD IT IN THEIR SYSTEM BEFORE.
>> ALL RIGHT VAPING IS RAMPING IN FRISCO ISD, THC CARTS ARE USED IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WHAT CAN WE DO AS A DISTRICT IN A COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS? [BACKGROUND]
>> CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION?
>> I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON.
>> VAPING IS IN FRISCO ISD AND THC CARTS ARE USED IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS AND POSSIBLY RESTORE VAPING TOGETHER?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE ON THE VAPE PROTECTORS THING.
I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT.
THE FIRST TIME I MET DR. GAMBER WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND WE DID SOME STUFF ON VAPING.
I THINK RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IT'S GONE DOWN.
WE STILL HAVE TROUBLE WITH IT.
BUT I THINK WHAT SEEMS TO BE HELPING OUR BYSTANDERS WITH MAKING REPORTS OF PEOPLE THAT THEY SEE IN RESTROOMS, THEY SEE IN HALLWAYS HIDDEN IN CLASSROOMS AND SO SOMETIMES WE [INAUDIBLE] THEN WE DO WITH THE STUDENTS WHO ARE USING BECAUSE THEY'RE HARD TO CATCH.
THEY'RE GOOD AT IT, IT'S A HIGH, THEY WANT THAT HIGH, SO THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO PROTECT IT.
SO MOST OF THE TIME WHEN WE GET TIPS IT'S FROM STUDENTS WHO THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO VAPE IN THEIR SCHOOL.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO THEIR FRIENDS.
[01:10:01]
SO SOMETIMES THEY'RE EVEN REPORTING FRIENDS.I THINK CONTINUAL EDUCATION THAT THIS IS HARMFUL.
WE SEE AN INCREASE IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD AS FAR AS CIGARETTE USE AND I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS DUE TO THE VAPES THAT WE'VE SEEN.
>> I THINK JUST BEING IN THE SCHOOLS DAILY IN RESPONDING TO THESE TYPE OF CALLS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS AND SEEING THE WAY STUDENTS ARE CONCEALING THINGS, THE WAY THEY'RE TRYING TO AVOID DETECTION, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THE PEER REPORTING.
I KNOW A LOT OF STUDENTS DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE PEER REPORTING.
IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME IF I SEE YOU ON CAMERA, A STUDENT CLEARLY WALKING INTO THE BATHROOM TO TRY AND USE THEIR BATHROOM, AND THEY IMMEDIATELY TURN AROUND AND WALK AWAY, AND THEN I SEE A GROUP OF EIGHT STUDENTS COME OUT OF A BATHROOM THAT ONLY HAS ROOM FOR FOUR PEOPLE.
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE.
WE TRY AND SPOT-CHECK THE BATHROOMS WHEN WE CAN.
I KNOW THE DISTRICT BRINGS IN DRUG DOGS OCCASIONALLY FOR SPOT CHECKS AS WELL, WHICH IS HELPFUL.
STUDENTS ARE SMART, THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO, THEY KNOW WHERE TO AVOID CAMERAS, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE THE PEER REPORTING TO THE STAFF BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATORS WITH EACH SCHOOL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE EVEN MORE LATITUDE THAN I DO AS A POLICE OFFICER TO CONDUCT ADMINISTRATIVE SEARCHES WITHIN THE SCHOOL AND IF A PEER REPORTS ON ANOTHER STUDENT, THE PRINCIPAL CAN CALL THEM IN AND DO A SEARCH BASED ON THE REPORT IF THEY BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS, IN FACT VAPING GOING ON AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT'S GOT TO BE EDUCATION ON THE DANGERS OF WHAT A VAPE CAN DO AND THAT IT'S NOT JUST NICOTINE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SYNTHETIC COMPOUNDS THAT ARE BEING SMOKED AND YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SMOKING.
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE DAY THAT WE SAW VAPES CONTAINING FENTANYL HERE, WHICH WAS CONCERNING WHEN YOU SAID A LOT OF THESE KIDS WHO THINK THEY'RE JUST SMOKING THC VAPES ARE SHOWN UP POSITIVE FOR FENTANYL BECAUSE I HAVEN'T COME ACROSS ONE THAT I WAS ABLE TO TEST FOR FENTANYL YET.
BUT I KNOW THEY'RE IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, AND WITH THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VAPE PROBLEM THAT I KNOW WE HAVE WITHIN OUR STUDENT BODY, I'M PRAYING IT STAYS AWAY FROM US AS LONG AS IT CAN, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE MAY ALREADY BE HERE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE ONE THING THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO TELL OUR CHILDREN IN REGARDS TO FENTANYL?
>> I DON'T WANT TO BE CLICHE, BUT THEY JUST SAY NO ONE PILL CAN KILL AND THOSE ALL I KNOW FOR A KID, THAT PROBABLY SOUNDS CLICHE AND JUST SOMETHING A PARENT SAYS BUT AGAIN, WITH THAT VIDEO, I THINK THAT VIDEO IS A VERY POWERFUL ONE AND WELL PUT TOGETHER.
I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT THE DISTRICT IS GOING TO SHOW IT TO ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS JUST THE EDUCATION ON WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY TAKING.
I'VE LISTENED TO SOME PARENTS ON DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES THEY'VE USED.
I'VE HEARD OF SOME PARENTS THAT RANDOMLY DRUG TESTS THEIR KIDS AND I WAS TELLING DR. GAMBER, I'VE GOT A KINDERGARTEN AND A FIRST GRADER.
I HOPE THAT MY RELATIONSHIP WHEN MY KID IS IN HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT THAT IN WHICH I NEED TO RANDOMLY DRUG TEST THEM.
BUT YOU CAN AT LEAST HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
AT SOME POINT THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT A PLACE WHERE THEY GET PRESENTED WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SOMETHING OR TRY SOMETHING, MAYBE GIVE THEM SOME TOOLS THAT THEY HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF.
SAY, HEY, BLAME ME AS YOUR PARENTS SAY, HEY, MOM AND DAD DRUG TESTS ME RANDOMLY, I CAN'T TAKE THAT AND THAT TAKES THE SAYING NO OFF OF THEM AND PUTS IT ON PARENTS AND THAT FRIEND IS GOING TO SAY, WELL THAT SUCKS FOR YOU AND GO TO THE NEXT GUY.
BUT IT'S A WAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DEFLECT THAT OPPORTUNITY IN A POSITIVE WAY.
>> ANYONE ELSE? CAN PARENTS OF A STUDENT WHO IS PROVEN TO HAVE GIVEN AN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE TO ANOTHER STUDENT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERDOSE OR DEATH BE HELD LIABLE?
>> WE HAVE CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
SOMETIMES MAYBE IF A YOUNG STUDENT GETS A HOLD OF SOME STUFF FROM A PARENT IN A WAY THAT THE PARENT, MAYBE THEY BRING METHAMPHETAMINE TO SCHOOL AND WE CAN TRACE IT BACK TO SOME CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE WITH THE PARENTS THING.
BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, THERE'S NOT REALLY GOING TO BE A CRIMINAL LIABILITY UNLESS SOMEHOW THERE WAS SOME WAY TO PROVE THAT THE PARENT IS MAYBE THE DISTRIBUTOR AND GIVING IT TO THE KID MAYBE.
[01:15:01]
BUT A LOT OF THIS IS GOING TO GO ON THE CIVIL LIABILITY STUFF, WHICH I GET OUTSIDE OF MY REALM ON DISCUSSING.>> ABSOLUTELY NOT. NARCAN IS AN OVER-THE-COUNTER.
NARCAN IS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IF A STUDENT HAS NARCAN, FANTASTIC ON THEM, THAT IS NOT ANYTHING THAT I COMMEND THEM FOR IT.
THAT'S JUST BEING PREPARED IN A POSITIVE WAY.
>> I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE.
AGAIN, SERGEANT, I BELIEVE THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE FOR YOU.
ARE THE POLICE MONITORING STUDENT'S SOCIAL MEDIA LOOKING FOR POSSIBLE DRUG-RELATED ACTIVITY?
>> I THINK MOST OF US IN THIS ROOM PROBABLY HAVE FACEBOOK AND ARE USED TO THAT THING.
WITH SNAPCHAT AND ALL THESE OTHER FORMS, IT'S EXTREMELY HARD TO GET INTO THOSE ONE-ON-ONE OR A GROUP CHATS THAT ARE INVOLVING JUST CERTAIN GROUPS OF STUDENTS.
SOME OF OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS, WE DO HAVE SOME WAYS TO GET INTO THOSE PLATFORMS. BUT THERE'S NOT A CONSTANT MONITORING.
NOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT WILL ALERT US RELATED TO MORE OF YOUR ACTIVE THREAT TYPE STUFF, YOUR THREATS TO SCHOOLS, THREATS OF VIOLENCE.
THERE'S WAYS WE CAN GET INDICATED IF SOME OF THAT STUFF STARTING TO GO AROUND.
ESPECIALLY, IF THE STUDENT IS BEING NAIVE ENOUGH TO USE SCHOOL PLATFORMS TO DO THAT, OR SCHOOL INTERNET TO MAKE THOSE TYPE OF COMMENTS.
BUT THE DRUG DISCUSSIONS ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR US TO MONITOR, AND UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE FINALLY GET TO THAT, IT'S AFTER THE FACT WHEN WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE SUBPOENA PROCESS AND WARRANT PROCESS TO OBTAIN THOSE RECORDS RETROACTIVELY.
SNAPCHAT. WHO CREATES A MESSAGING PLATFORM THAT THE MESSAGE IS AUTOMATICALLY DELETE, THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY DELETE, BUT WE STILL HAVE ACCESS TO GO BACK AND GET THOSE UNDER SUBPOENA AUTHORITY BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO ACTIVELY MONITOR THE DRUG-RELATED CHATTER.
I'M JUST SAYING THE MAJORITY OF THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING ON PLATFORMS WHERE YOU CAN'T REALLY EFFECTIVELY MONITOR THEM.
BUT AGAIN, WITH THE VIOLENCE-RELATED STUFF, SOME OF THEM HAVE ALGORITHMS THAT WILL KEY OFF AND FLAG AND PROVIDE US THAT INFORMATION.
>> GREAT. I WANT TO THANK OUR PANEL FOR THE INFORMATION IN THE PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING [APPLAUSE].
IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT TO THIS IMPORTANT EVENT, AND HOPEFULLY, WE'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME OF THESE IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.
>> GET NARCAN DEFEATED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.