School Resource Officer Elvin Vasquez has a dire warning for Leominster teens and residents. There has been a recent rise in street drugs being laced with potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl. 

Officer Vasquez explained local officers are finding dangerous levels of fentanyl in marijuana, pills, edibles and even Adderall and you won’t even be able to notice that it is a part of these drugs until it is too late. 

Vasquez explained fentanyl is so strong, that it is 100% stronger than any other street drug. It is so strong that an amount equal to the size of 1 grain of salt can kill you.

He said drug dealers are adding in fentanyl with other drugs to increase sales, but lately they are finding the street drugs are laced with extremely dangerous and life-threatening levels. 

Officer Vasquez said that from what he knows not many students at our school are being a victim of this drug, but it is still within our neighborhood. He added it never fully goes away.

The fentanyl craze is a drug that comes and goes in phases as dealers leave towns and new dealers come in.  

Due to this, police now carry Narcan with them so that they can inject the victim as they are usually the first people on the scene.

Officer Vasquez reminds that people need to know that the dealers don’t care about or think of people’s health. All they care about is the money so they will sell you anything that can make them money, even if it can kill you. 

LHS Principal Steven Dubzinski added,  “As always our first and foremost concern is the safety of our students.  If this can be a topic and raise awareness for not only our students but our community, we can help in protecting others. “

He added, “Although we have not seen this as a major problem for our students, being proactive needs to occur.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, reach out to a teacher, the school nurse, a school administrator, or a counselor. It could save a life.