LOUDOUN, VA – In a disturbing development, seven students from Park View High School in Loudoun County, Virginia, have overdosed on opioids within the last three weeks. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating these alarming incidents, four of which transpired within the school’s premises. Three of these cases necessitated the use of Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal drug, while two required CPR.
The common denominator in all these overdoses is fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid often camouflaged as a counterfeit 30 mg oxycodone pill. The Sheriff’s Office has been actively investigating opioid-related incidents involving minors in the county, with 18 reports so far this year, a slight decrease from the 19 reported in 2022.
Sheriff Mike Chapman has assured the community of their commitment to track down the individuals responsible for distributing these deadly drugs. He has also urged the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) to maintain open communication with the Park View community and has offered to provide additional educational and security support.
LCPS Superintendent, Dr. Aaron Spence, has expressed his deep concern over the opioid crisis infiltrating the Park View community. He outlined the steps LCPS is taking to address the issue, including fentanyl awareness and education programs, training staff to handle emergencies involving opioids, and providing additional support to the Park View community in the form of administrators, counselors, and security officers.
The LCPS has also undertaken a safety assessment at the school to minimize the risk of students accessing or using fentanyl. Extra staff support has been dispatched to Park View, including additional personnel trained in administering Narcan.
The opioid crisis has been wreaking havoc across the nation for several years. In response, some states are providing college students with Narcan, a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Both New York and California mandate that all public universities have Narcan available in student housing facilities.