Photo from the Brookings-Harbor High School Facebook page.

Drug use and drug-related medical emergencies are on the rise among teens and school aged children in Curry County, the Brookings Police Department police says.

Brookings Police Department School Resource Officer Rob Johnson told the Outpost that these drugs range from nicotine, alcohol and marijuana, to opioids like fentanyl — a major contributor to last year's dramatic increase in overdose deaths, according to the CDC.

“The increase [in drug use] is significant, but not huge,” Johnson said. “The bigger increase itself, is the potential severity in the consequences.”

BPD addressed local parents in a statement last month, informing them that several school-aged children were recently injured or hospitalized from drug use. 

“There is a high risk of serious long term injury or death from bad batches, fake pills or overdose that have been identified in our community,” the statement reads.

Johnson said that fentanyl use is a major concern due to its prevalence in street drugs.

“Fentanyl is being added to or substituted for other drugs,” he said. “There’s reports where students have gone online and purchased drugs or borrowed pills from friends or family members, and sometimes they're not aware [they're taking it]. Fentanyl is much more poptent [than other drugs]. There isn't quality control for what someone making fake pills is putting in there. So it’s Russian roulette on what they’re going to get.”

To combat this rise in adolescent drug use, BPD is considering the use of drug dogs at school campuses. The department is also planning a series of informational seminars for students, parents and teachers. Johnson said that a March presentation is currently in the works for Brookings teachers. In May, BPD then plans to give larger presentations to the city’s middle school and high school students.

“It's a tricky balance there,” Johnson said. “On one hand, we don't want to be a police state and increase heavy handed tactics. But with the need to protect students from fentanyl because of how serious it is, it’s tough to walk that line.”

The Outpost reached out to several local school administrators about the ongoing issue but did not receive a response.

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