In North Texas Saturday, educators, elected officials and law enforcement came together to talk about fentanyl, the synthetic opioid claiming a rising number of young lives.
There were two meetings with the same focus, arming parents with resources as the first line of defense in protecting children.
First in Dallas, Dallas ISD and the city held its first Dallas Fights Fentanyl Bilingual Forum at Townview Magnet Center in Oak Cliff.
"Many times parents don't know what to look for so I feel like it’s our job to help create a sense of safety and give them the information they need. So just to know how to have conversations with their kids and then talk to their kids about what to look for,” said Executive Director of Mental Health Services Tracey Brown.
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That included information about how deadly the illicit drug can be.
According to the DEA, it takes just two milligrams to kill someone, the equivalent of two granules of sugar.
The panel also warned of just how easy kids are getting pills they believe are something less potent, like Percocet or Adderall.
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"These pills are bought online on Instagram or Snapchat and sometimes delivered in minutes,” said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia.
Meanwhile, at Carrollton's Hebron High School, an Emergency Preparedness Summit and Fair, hosted by Congressman Michael Burgess, included a lesson by pharmacists on how to administer Narcan.
The overdose reversal drug will soon be available over the counter, likely in packs of two, as Burgess said experts say one isn't always enough when it comes to fentanyl poisoning.
"We're dealing with a class of opiates that is much more potent than has been out there in the black market before,” said Burgess.
