FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 6, 2024
Contacts: Lisa Batitto, news@drugfreenj.org

Fentanyl-Laced Drugs Poses Risk
 to Students During Spring Break

MILLBURN, NJ — As spring break nears, students nationwide are gearing up for vacations in sun-soaked destinations. Amidst this seasonal excitement, a grave and often hidden danger lurks: the prevalence of fentanyl-laced street drugs. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than heroin and morphine and poses a deadly threat to unsuspecting youth.

New Jersey State Police recently reported that 98 percent of heroin seizures contained fentanyl, and in some instances, fentanyl is also being found mixed with cocaine and methamphetamines. These findings underscore the widespread presence of fentanyl in the drug market.
 

The high potency of fentanyl makes it extremely dangerous, especially when it is unknowingly mixed into street-purchased drugs. These drugs, some of which are often perceived as less harmful by many students, can carry a fatal risk due to this adulteration.

Awareness of the symptoms of an opioid overdose is critical. Symptoms include slowed or stopped breathing, bluish lips and nails, unresponsiveness, and cold, clammy skin. In cases of suspected overdose, calling 911 and administering Narcan (naloxone) can be life-saving actions.

“With spring break approaching, there is a critical need to address the dangers of recreational drug use, particularly the risks associated with fentanyl,” said Angelo Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. “Parents need to stress the importance of making informed, safe choices to mitigate these risks.”

For further information on PDFNJ initiatives and programs, visit www.drugfreenj.org.

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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 226 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.