School substance use prevention efforts are crucial. The question is how to do it

By ALEX LI In 2021, fentanyl was identified in more than three-quarters of adolescent overdose deaths, but experts say schools are slow to adapt their prevention efforts. (Photo/bridgesward- Pixabay) Alex Li was a health reporter with Side Effects Public Media based at WFYI in Indianapolis, Ind. Li was a young and bright journalist with contagious passion and commitment to his job. He was a beloved part of the newsroom. Li died last December and this was his last story. The& majority& of adults with substance use disorders start during their adolescent years. That’s why experts& say& prevention efforts in schools are paramount, but many schools struggle with implementation. According to a& survey& by the& Education Week Research Center& in 2022, 67% of school health workers say that dealing with students who are vaping and using alcohol, marijuana, or opioids is “a challenge” or “a major challenge.” The moment to address a gap in school prevention could not be more prime for action, experts say, as& more& young people between the ages of 10 and 19 have died of overdoses across the U.S. The driving factor behind those deaths is fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid. “In the era of fentanyl, with...