Students, parents schooled on drugs

By Rachel Dale

Local school boards have been holding meetings with worried Ottawa parents to discuss ongoing efforts to warn students about drug dangers in the wake of two Kanata students’ deaths from apparent opioid overdoses.

Ottawa Public Health also released newsletters to the school boards in a stepped-up attempt to discourage students from using drugs, and provided a set of safety guidelines for students who are using. It warns students to avoid drugs from unknown sources and details what an overdose would look like.

The boards have been relaying this information to parents, teachers and students.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has held information sessions discussing the signs and dangers of opioid drug use. Officials from OPH, the Ottawa Police Service, and Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services are supporting the sessions by providing expert insight into opioid abuse.

The Ottawa Catholic School Board said it relies on communication with OPH to ensure consistent information is going to families and the city.

“Right now, we are in the middle of a major communications initiative to work through our educators and our psychological staff to educate our students and our parents and teachers on this,” said Mardi de Kemp, the catholic school board’s manager of communications.

“We are part of the city-wide task force on the communications side, but our priority right now is doing what we’re doing, which is getting out information to the schools.”

OPH is working with schools to provide information about the dangers of counterfeit pills — specifically of fentanyl, an opioid connected to the recent overdoses.

Two Kanata students, 18-year-old Teslin Russell and 14-year-old Chole Kotval, died in the past two months after apparent overdoses. Both students are believed to have taken counterfeit pills — drugs that were mixed with fentanyl.

“Overdose death is preventable. Access to overdose prevention education and naloxone for people using opioids and/or illicit drugs has proven an effective public health measure in reducing harms associated with drug overdose,” said Daniel Osterer, OPH’s program and project management officer.

Teachers also talk to students about drugs in health and physical education classes, with varying content depending on the age level, beginning in Grade 1.

OPH has launched a public awareness campaign, which is outlined at stopoverdose.ca.

OPH encourages parents to visit ParentingInOttawa.ca for information on how best to talk to kids about drugs.

The remaining two information sessions will be held on March 22 at Longfields Davidson Heights and March 23 at Gloucester High School.