Fentanyl Epidemic and Legislation
The fentanyl epidemic has been a key issue for many communities throughout the state of California and is a top issue for the CAYC as well. Thus, we applaud the recent signing into law of California Assembly Bill 2429.
Introduced by Assembly member David Alvarez from the 80th district, AB 2429 mandates that starting with the 2026–2027 school year, school districts and California charter schools requiring a health education course for graduation must include comprehensive instruction on the dangers of fentanyl use.
AB 2429 aims to combat the rising fentanyl public health crisis by educating students about the risks and consequences associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. The bill outlines specific instructional components that must be covered and includes:
Basic Understanding of Fentanyl: Educators must provide detailed information about what fentanyl is, including the differences between synthetic and nonsynthetic opioids, legal and illegal uses of fentanyl, and variations of the drug.
Risks and Side Effects: Students will learn about the lethal dose of fentanyl compared to other drugs and the severe addictive properties of fentanyl. The instruction will also cover the physiological effects of fentanyl, such as pinpoint pupils, hypoxia, and altered mental status.
Lacing and Detection: The bill requires that students understand that fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs- or laced- without users’ knowledge, why it is common, and how to detect fentanyl in drugs. This includes practical knowledge on using fentanyl test strips.
Prevention and Response: Instruction will include how to identify a fentanyl overdose and the steps to take in response, such as administering naloxone nasal spray to reverse overdoses.
The implementation of AB 2429 is designed to equip students with critical knowledge and skills to recognize and respond to fentanyl-related dangers to prevent inadvertent poisoning and death. The bill underscores the importance of using reliable sources, such as information from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the education provided.
The bill received broad bipartisan support and was unanimously passed by the California Assembly. It subsequently passed the Senate and was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on July 2, 2024.
We recognize it would be naive to assume that the fentanyl epidemic will be resolved with a single law, and this legislation should be framed as one component of a much broader effort to address the public safety crisis posed by fentanyl. It is vitally important to also include information regarding the presence of fentanyl in counterfeit pills people can purchase, sometimes through social media, and to emphasize the importance of not taking a pill unless a doctor prescribes it. We plan a deep exploration of this issue at our fall Zoom conference in November and our annual in-person conference in April 2025.
Image credit: US Department of Justice