FENTANYL AWARENESS MONTH
KYLE — Fentanyl took Hays County by storm in 2022, when several students' lives were lost to overdoses. Now, in 2024, there seems to be a decrease of its presence within the student population, but Hays CISD stressed that this does not mean that it is any less dangerous.
According to Hays CISD Chief Communication Officer Tim Savoy, beginning in July 2022, there have been seven student overdoses from fentanyl, with the most recent in October 2023. These numbers do not include Narcan administrations, which total 11. Although these numbers appear alarming, there have been no overdoses or Narcan administrations in the 2024 year involving Hays CISD students, so far.
“Based on our data, it appears we are seeing a significant reduction in fentanyl circulating among our students since we started the Fighting Fentanyl campaign in August 2022,” said Savoy. “One of our greatest weapons against it is educating students and urging them not to put themselves in danger.”
The campaign is aimed to educate students on the dangers of the drug and the consequences it can include. The first video of the series told the story of Kevin McConville, 17, who would have graduated in the class of 2023, but two weeks prior to the start of his senior year, on Aug. 2, 2022, an overdose took his life. According to the video, McConville was unaware that it was fentanyl he took — a common occurrence.
“A lot of the pills are made to look like other prescription drugs commonly used and sold lawfully and prescribed by a doctor and created by a pharmaceutical lab, but they’re not. These are street-level drugs made in basements, garages [and] yards,” explained Kyle Police Department Chief Jeff Barnett.
Savoy noted that despite the decrease in the presence of fentanyl in the student population, the campaign will continue to be pushed to students, with presentations to sixth graders and ninth graders at all campuses.
For Fentanyl Awareness Month, Hays CISD Head of District & Safety Jeri Skrocki stated that a new poster will be released, which has the slogan, “No high is worth goodbye.” Just because it seems as though it is becoming less of a problem, she continued, does not mean that it is any less important. Skrocki explained that the district’s goal is to continue to provide resources and education surrounding the lethal drug.
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office also stressed the importance of education, as 50% of overdoses are teenagers and the price of the drug is lowering. Previously, a pill was an estimated $20-25, while now it is being seen for as low as $10, said HCSO.
“In the summer of 2022, we lost five students from the same school district in Hays County, due to fentanyl. This stuff is so dangerous, a single packet of Sweet-n-Low would be enough fentanyl to kill 500 people. It is so important not to take a pill from anyone other than a doctor, nurse or parent. We are fighting for the youth of this county and this state and we want them to be here for years to come,” said HCSO Deputy Mark Andrews.
The office’s analysts shared the statistics of fentanyl that it has experienced over the past several years:
• Fentanyl overdoses - 2022: 37 - 2023: 33 - 2024: 12 (so far)
• Fentanyl arrests related to overdoses - 2022: 9 - 2023: 10 - 2024: 0
• Arrests for fentanyl-related charges - 2022: 10 - 2023: 8 - 2024: 8 (so far) According to HCSO, there has been a decrease in overdoses, but it is still rampant in the community, as the department is still seizing the drug from dealers, who are often arrested with large amounts of money and multiple narcotics and weapons, such as switch blades and guns.
Andrews also explained that, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl has been found in every street drug available, including marijuana, heroin and cocaine. This fact only increases the chance of encountering fentanyl.
In Buda, police chief Bo Kidd confirmed that since 2022, there have been 47 overdose calls — most relating to fentanyl
‘
One pill, one time, one attempt at experimenting with drugs is all it takes.
— Tim Savoy — with 10 occurring in 2024 so far. Similarly, KPD revealed that there were 25 calls for overdoses in 2022, 12 in 2023 and, as of Oct. 9, five in 2024.
Barnett noted, 'We are pleased to see a decrease in fentanyl-related incidents; however, we remain vigilant through awareness campaigns and initiatives, as well as our strong partnership with Kyle residents to eliminate this threat from our community.
We would like to remind anyone who may have tips to report them anonymously through Crime Stoppers.”
Community members can contact Hays County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800324-TIPS (8477) or to submit a tip online at www.CallCrimeStoppers. com or by using the P3 Tips app on a smartphone.
Along with educating children, parents should also be mindful of the apps their children are on, understand emojis/symbols and have passcodes to all electronics, said HCSO.
“It is important to continue to talk about the fentanyl crisis because this drug leaves no margin of error in terms of teens experimenting with drugs. It is still very prevalent in counterfeit pills and you see reports that it is being put into other forms of drugs, like vapes. It takes so very little to kill someone. You just can’t risk it,” stressed Savoy. “Remember, fentanyl doesn’t just kill people who are in the throes of an addiction.
One pill, one time, one attempt at experimenting with drugs is all it takes.”
For more information, visit www.hayscisd.net/ Page/14567.
