A new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine reveals that a record number of high school teens succumbed to drug overdoses in 2022, driven primarily by fentanyl poisonings from counterfeit pills.
Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers from Boston determined that an average of 22 adolescents aged 14 to 18 died each week in the U.S. due to drug overdoses in 2022.
This represents a stark increase compared to previous years, with the death rate more than doubling since 2018, as detailed in the study titled “The Overdose Crisis Among U.S. Adolescents.”
According to the report, a total of 1,125 teens lost their lives to drug overdose or poisoning in 2022, making it the third-leading cause of death among teenagers nationwide, following firearm-related injuries and motor vehicle accidents.
“Fewer teens than ever are actively using drugs, and yet more teens than ever are dying,” emphasized senior author Dr. Scott Hadland, chief of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School, in an interview with Fox News.
“And that’s because drug use isn’t becoming more common — it’s becoming more dangerous.”
In 2002, 21% of high-school seniors reported using an illicit drug besides cannabis in the previous year. By 2022, this figure had dropped to 8%.
Meanwhile, the study revealed that at least 75% of adolescent drug overdose deaths were attributed to fentanyl poisonings.
These poisonings typically occur when teens unwittingly ingest counterfeit pills containing lethal doses of the synthetic opioid, consistent with findings from other research.
“It’s evident that these problems began escalating shortly before COVID and then accelerated significantly during the pandemic,” noted Hadland during the Fox interview.
“Teens were isolated, unable to attend school or participate in their usual activities — and we know that accessing healthcare became more challenging.”
The study also identified several hotspot states such as Arizona, Colorado, and Washington, where adolescent drug overdose death rates were nearly double the national average or higher between 2020 and 2022.
Counties like Maricopa County, Arizona, and Los Angeles County, California, reported the highest number of overdose deaths (117 and 111, respectively).
The tragic case of 17-year-old Xavier Gerchow in March 2021 underscores the dangers associated with counterfeit pills.
After playing basketball with a friend, Xavier experienced discomfort and agreed to split a Percocet. He later passed away in his sleep due to fentanyl poisoning, while his friend, who had a tolerance to fentanyl, survived.
“The friend didn’t succumb because he had a tolerance to fentanyl,” explained Xavier’s sister, Madison Gerchow, to Fox News. “But Xavier died within minutes because his system was clean.”
The Percocet pill they took was later found to be counterfeit, containing 99% fentanyl and 1% cocaine.
To mitigate risks, experts recommend that parents discuss the dangers of counterfeit pills with their teens and keep over-the-counter Naloxone or Narcan (the overdose reversal medication) readily accessible at home.
Research indicates that about two-thirds of teens who die from an overdose do so at home.
“Often, health insurance covers it with minimal or no co-pay, and I advise parents and teens to keep it in a central location at home, just like a fire extinguisher,” recommended Hadland.
While advocating for drug-free lifestyles, Hadland also stresses the importance of open conversations about risk reduction strategies for teens experimenting with drugs, cautioning against scare tactics which may backfire.
Madison Gerchow has since established the X Foundation in memory of her brother, Xavier. The foundation aims to raise awareness about fentanyl poisoning and eliminate the associated stigma through education.
“I wish we had educated Xavier or ourselves and our friends,” reflected Gerchow.
“If Narcan had been in our home, the outcome could have been very different.”
