Montana Meth Project, Attorney General sound alarm on need for teen fentanyl education
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News from the Montana Meth Project
MISSOULA — It’s National Red Ribbon Week, a time when leaders and partners come together to encourage young people to participate in drug prevention activities, and the Montana Meth Project and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen are raising awareness of the dire need for teen Fentanyl prevention. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing teens.
“Please, take this opportunity during Red Ribbon Week to talk to teens about the dangers of using drugs, especially Fentanyl, and remind them to never take a pill that isn’t prescribed to them,” said Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen. “Fentanyl is the biggest public safety threat facing Montana. It’s infiltrated our communities, and it’s killing Montanans at alarming rates. As Attorney General, I will continue to do everything I can to combat the problem, and I’m grateful to organizations like the Montana Meth Project that are also working to stop Fentanyl overdoses. Together, we can save lives.”
The Meth Project has partnered with the DEA to bring the One Pill Can Kill message to Montana teens, one endorsed by the Montana Attorney General’s Office.
“Fentanyl is appearing in illegal drugs of all kinds, including fake pills, Meth, and even marijuana,” said Amy Rue executive director of the Montana Meth Project. “Young people are losing their lives to Fentanyl poisoning after taking substances they didn’t know were laced. With our new Fentanyl Prevention Lesson and resources, it’s our aim to provide life-saving education to Montanans.”
The Meth Project’s new Fentanyl Prevention Lesson is available for free online at MontanaMeth.org. Presented by a high school senior, applying the Meth Project’s research-based peer-to-peer approach, the 10-minute video lesson is appropriate for middle school and high school students, as well as anyone who wants to learn more about the risks of Fentanyl.
During Red Ribbon Week, October 23 - 31, the Meth Project is encouraging schools and families to engage with teens in creating a Fentanyl prevention project for their community that incorporates the Not Even Once: One Pill Can Kill message. Project ideas and project submission details to enter to win an iPad can be found at MontanaMeth.org.
Additional resources including 18-second Fentanyl Fact videos for school announcements and Fentanyl FAQ’s answering teens’ most-asked questions can also be found at MontanaMeth.org.
This fall, the Montana Department of Justice is distributing free naloxone kits to schools across the state. The kit includes tools needed to revive someone suffering from an opioid overdose including Fentanyl poisoning. The kit contains naloxone (commonly known as Narcan, a medicine used to reverse opioid overdoses), instructions on how to administer naloxone, a CPR respirator mask, a CPR face shield, and educational information.
About the Montana Meth Project: The Montana Meth Project is a large-scale prevention program aimed at reducing teen Meth and Fentanyl use through public service messaging and community outreach. The nonprofit was founded in 2005 by businessman and philanthropist Tom Siebel as a private-sector response to Montana’s critical public health issue. Named the 3rd most effective philanthropy in the world by Barron’s in its global ranking, the organization has been credited with significant declines in teen Meth use. MontanaMeth.org
