Santa Monica-Malibu School District Superintendent Ben Drati has confirmed that three Santa Monica High School students were sickened after taking a drug laced with fentanyl.
The high potency synthetic opioid is reported to be in abundance currently in the Los Angeles area according to the LACO Department of Public Health. It appears the illicit drugs taken by the three Samo High kids were ecstasy pills that were contaminated by fentanyl.
Health officials say fentanyl is increasingly making its way into other drugs as well. The school district is asking parents to be proactive with their children especially around graduation time when students may partake of drugs at parties.
“We ask that you speak to your children about the risks of drugs,” a memo from Drati’s office said. Fentanyl is a high potency opioid that is colorless and odorless and can cause rapid respiratory depression resulting in accidental death.
Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant that can cause dangerous increases in heart rate and blood pressure resulting in heart attacks, strokes, and death. SMMUSD has health partners providing drug abuse education to students and families. Drati’s memo did not give the affected students’ conditions, only saying they were currently recovering.