Catholic trustee wants fentanyl education in schools

A trustee with the Edmonton Catholic School Board wants schools to educate students on the dangers of fentanyl.

The street drug, considered50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, killed 145 Albertans in the first six months of 2015. There is no way of knowing how much of the drug is in each pill.

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Trustee Marilyn Bergstra says fentanyl is the most dangerous drug to ever hit the streets and she wants to get that information out to students from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Younger students would be taught not to share drinks and candy; older students would be taught from people who have direct experience with fentanyl users.

"I am proposing we do a live stream with at least one ER doctor and someone from Edmonton Police Service...where every junior high school and high school can tune in and get the information," she said.

Bergstra is concerned that the drug has come in forms that look like candy, which could lead to unsuspecting people taking the drug.

Leslie Cleary with Clean Scene Network for the Youth says the number of teens taking the drug has spiked.

"For as little as 20 to 50 bucks for a pill...it's your parent's worst nightmare come true," she said.

Warnings have already gone out in school newsletters.Bergstra plans to table her idea at the school board's next meeting.