King County School Districts Host Fentanyl Safety Meetings

KING COUNTY, WA — Amid a rash of overdose deaths linked to fentanyl-tainted pills, King County school are hosting several forums to educate families and teens about drug use.

On Monday, in Seattle, Ballard High School welcomes Dr. Caleb Banta-Green, a UW addiction researcher and parent of two teens. He will be joined by the parents of Gabe Lilienthal, a Ballard High School student who died from a fentanyl overdose in late September. Monday's event is scheduled from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Ballard High School.

In Bellevue, school officials will be joined by nurses, police officers and drug counselors for two informational sessions. The first is on Tuesday, October 22nd at Sammamish High School (100 140th Ave SE). The second is planned for Wednesday, October 30th at Bellevue High School (10416 SE Wolverine Way). Both sessions are scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Nurses will talk to parents about what fentanyl is and what safety measures are being taken, and Bellevue PD will update the community on what officers are seeing on the street.

On October 29th and 30th, the Snoqualmie Valley Network will "Hidden in Plain Sight," featuring an interactive display of a teen's bedroom, with tips to spot warning signs for illicit drug use. The first night is full, but there is still room for the Oct. 30th event. Both nights are limited to families of middle and high-school students.

The City of Sammamish will host a community forum on teen drug use on November 7th, with a resource fair from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and a discussion panel from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. November's event will take place at Central Washington University Sammamish (120 228th Ave NE).

The upcoming panels follow recent overdose deaths in our area among teen boys, all linked to counterfeit opioid pills cut with the powerful synthetic drug fentanyl. King County Public Health is also circulating several new graphics as part of an ongoing awareness campaign.