RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — As high schoolers head back to class this month, a new curriculum warning of the dangers of fentanyl is on the syllabus at campuses throughout Riverside County.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law in July 2024 mandating that California school districts, charter and private schools with existing health classes teach high school students about the risks associated with fentanyl. The courses had to be introduced no later than this 2026-27 academic year and are mandatory for graduation.
Riverside County is touting its work to implement that law ahead of schedule. Dubbed the "Fentanyl Awareness Curriculum" in Riverside County, education leaders say it is a first-of-its-kind tool to help schools and communities address the dangers of fentanyl.
The seeds of the curriculum began in 2022 when the County of Riverside created a public awareness campaign to address the fentanyl epidemic, known as the "Faces of Fentanyl."
The campaign went on to win an Emmy Award for Best Public Service Announcement, three awards of distinction from the California Association of Public Information Officials, and a Silver Telly Award.
The campaign was created by integrating knowledge and resources from county public safety and healthcare agencies, county officials said.
The Riverside County Office of Education joined the effort to create the new "Fentanyl Awareness Curriculum" being taught today in high school health classes.
"The partnerships that developed this curriculum are an example of the power of collaboration to drive positive change in our region and state," said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Gomez.
The curriculum's framework includes an explanation of the differences between synthetic opioids, non-synthetic opioids, and illicit drugs; variations of fentanyl; the differences between the legal and illegal uses of fentanyl; the risks of using fentanyl, including lethal overdose; how often fentanyl is put into illegal drugs without a user's knowledge; an explanation of what fentanyl does to the human body and the severity of the drug's addictive properties; how the use of fentanyl can lead to hypoxia; fentanyl "lacing"; how to detect fentanyl; and how to potentially save a person from a fentanyl overdose.
Since the "Faces of Fentanyl" campaign launched, fentanyl deaths in Riverside County dropped by approximately 54%, from a peak of 545 deaths between March 2023 and February 2024 to 251 deaths between March 2025 and February 2026, according to county officials.
The drop in deaths parallels a national trend. Researchers from the University of California San Diego found that U.S. overdose death rates declined dramatically between 2023 and 2024, marking the first recorded drop in all four waves of the nation's overdose crisis. The dip was largely driven by falling deaths involving illicit fentanyl, according to the researchers.
"The County's efforts to fight fentanyl on all fronts have made a difference in the community," said Board Chair and 2nd District Supervisor Karen Spiegel. "Deaths have been declining at a rapid pace, but we are not done. This new school curriculum is one more lever that focuses on prevention."
The new "Fentanyl Awareness Curriculum" was piloted in May 2025 in three Riverside County schools. By the fall of 2025, it was made available to all school districts in Riverside County at no cost.
As national "Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day" approaches on Aug. 21, parents who wish to get a head start on the life-saving fentanyl lessons now may download all materials from the RCOE website.
"Parents and grandparents are children's first teachers," said 3rd District Supervisor Chuck Washington. "This Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, talk to your children and grandchildren about the dangers of fentanyl. It could save their life, or a life of someone they know."
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