New Messaging to Teens: Tell Your Friends NOT to Take Unknown Drugs

Maybe you have already talked to your teen; if not, please do so.


From The Issaquah Reporter:

“This is a student-to-student problem,” she said. “We can give out as many messages as we want but at the end of the day, what will really help is a face-to-face, heart-to-heart [communication.]”

It's sometimes hard to say out loud for kids but ask them to look their dearest friends in the face and say, "I care so much about you. My life would be so much less if you were not here.  And your parents and siblings. Please don't take any pills from anyone."

Look at those faces in the photograph - so young and full of promise. 

Two Skyline High School juniors — Tom Beatty and Lucas Beirer, both 16 — died because of fentanyl overdoses. And Ballard High School student Gabriel Lilienthal, 17, died of the same cause. His death was the most recent and happened on Sept. 29 in Seattle.  

Skyline ASB secretary Alex Singereanu addressed the recent deaths at the Oct. 10 school board meeting. She said Skyline has a problem.
“Our everyday norm now is going into a bathroom and seeing kids knocked out on the floor or puffs of who knows what above the stalls and that’s a scary reality to face every day,” Singereanu said.

And according to her, Skyline often goes by another name: “The Pharmacy.”

Anderson said among the opioid overdose calls they receive, the most alarming calls are from family members who return home to find their young loved ones unconscious.

“They’re very hysterical when they call into 911 [and are] trying to describe the situation,” Anderson said. “They don’t understand why this young, vibrant individual isn’t responding to them.”

From one family:

Isaac Beirer, Olga Davidov and Nicola Beirer, parents and brother of Lucas Beirer, issued their own message to the Skyline community. They said they hoped it would motivate young adults and their families to get the help they need and encourage an open dialogue on the crisis. 

“This is not something families should hide or be ashamed of…We need to come together as a community, not be afraid to be honest and open about our struggles, let go of judgment and help each other and our children find help,” they wrote.

What this district is doing:

Michelle said in response to the recent fentanyl deaths, the district changed its anonymous reporting process. Before, on each school website, people had the option to file an anonymous tip without providing much supplemental information.

One other word of caution: PLEASE tell your kids to call 911 immediately if someone passes out, either from alcohol or drugs.  Stress that no one will get in trouble and yes, you can die from an alcohol overdose or accident (like being drunk, tripping and hitting your head).