Schools nationwide have been introducing a new idea into the system: naloxone.
This powerful “overdose reversal” drug is a protective measure that is in the hands of many school resource officers in America. While naloxone has many other brands and names, it is most commonly known as Narcan.
Lakeland High School’s armed guard, John Hatcher, fought hard for this effective preventative to be put into the school system.
To combat the high statistics of overdoses in adolescents, Narcan may be the safest option to have in schools.
Many other actions are being put into place alongside Narcan in schools. According to Idaho Capital Sun, 188 deaths due to fentanyl hit the state of Idaho in 2022. In 2023, there were 109,680 deaths in the world, according to Spokane Public Radio.
Rapidly increasing numbers pushed Governor Brad Little to act upon these statistics. On Feb. 26, Brad Little signed into law House Bill 406, which established a minimum sentence for fentanyl trafficking. This mandatory sentence would include a minimum $10,000 fine for four to 13 grams of fentanyl.
Many law enforcement officials, including Kootenai County’s Sheriff, Robert Norris, lobbied for this bill to go into place. Those affected by fentanyl losses see this as not near enough of a fine. Losing a loved one due to an overdose can cause enormous financial and mental damage to the families of the victims.
Many have made arguments that the majority of deaths due to this drug involved the receiver unaware that what they were ingesting was fentanyl, and therefore, not the consumer’s fault. The L.A. County Health Department reports that accidental fentanyl overdoses increased by 1,652 percent from 2016 to 2022.
Some debate that this is murder, and true justice would include the person who laced the drug being tried as a murderer. This is why Governor Little put the bill into action, requiring a minimum punishment for anyone who transports and sells fentanyl.
The majority of deaths due to fentanyl overdoses are adolescents from the ages 10 to 18. Hatcher emphasizes protecting the youth from these types of drugs. The preventative Narcan has been put in many school districts to take steps to protect students from involuntarily overdosing on opioids such as fentanyl.
“I think Narcan is a great tool, I actually fought really hard to get it. We got it donated,” John Hatcher said. “It’s a great tool to have; you never know what’s going to happen, you never know what you’re going to come across, and neither do the kids.”
Narcan has saved 27,000 lives. Many of these lives include adolescents in school. Having these in the school can prevent extreme circumstances in which an overdose may occur. Although these decrease the risk significantly, many schools in the country do not have them on campus. Hatcher took giant strides to get these protective measures in the Lakeland Joint School District 272.
Officers in the Rathdrum area are also affected by these laws due to encounters with fentanyl overdoses. “
They had been taking drugs before they got on the road, and the passenger went down in the car and was unresponsive,” Greg Hudson, LHS’ school resource officer, said.
Citizens of Rathdrum consider the fentanyl trafficking stats an increasing threat to the community. Many fear these numbers and trends will only grow if more laws are not implemented.
While fentanyl is illegal in all states, House Bill 406 is a relatively new idea, and Idaho is one of the first to pass something like this. Not even neighboring states like Montana and Washington have passed a bill to require a minimum sentence for dealing fentanyl. Narcan is still somewhat of a new concept to schools as well.
