A new program will help Oregon families understand the changing drug landscape to help their teens and young adults stay safe
Portland, OR, May 7, 2024 — New data commissioned by Song for Charlie, the national family-run nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about fake pills made from fentanyl, and funded by Trillium Community Health Plan, reveals a dangerous communications disconnect between Oregon parents and their teens and young adults about the dangers of using prescription pills without a prescription. The study also revealed that raising awareness about the widespread availability of fentanyl-laced pharmaceutical pills (“fentapills”) can save lives. Illicit fentanyl is highly prevalent in counterfeit pills that look like common medication and is fueling a deadly rise in overdoses among Oregon teens and young adults. May 7th is National Fentanyl Awareness Day.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over the last five years, 332 Oregonians aged 15-24 have died from drug-related causes, primarily from fentanyl, making drug overdose the leading cause of death for this age group. During this timeframe, the rate of teen drug-related deaths in Oregon increased nearly sixfold, marking one of the fastest growths in teen drug deaths compared to any other state, 4 times faster than the national average. Notably, all 41 of Oregon’s teen drug deaths in the 18 months ending June, 2023 involved synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.
Song For Charlie Research Findings
The survey, completed in April 2024 by strategic communications and insights consultancy Breakwater Strategy, was designed to assess this deadly gap in knowledge given the rapidly changing drug landscape and prevalence of deadly synthetic drugs. Key findings include:
• Nearly three-quarters of Oregon parents report talking to their child about the dangers of prescription pill use, but only four-in-10 teens and young adults recall having had this critical conversation with their parent.
• About a third of Oregon youth (29% teens, 35% young adults) report personally knowing someone who was poisoned by fentanyl in counterfeit pills or overdosed on prescription pills
• Only 3 out of 5 Oregon youth (59% teens, 57% young adult) consider the misuse of prescription pills a highly serious issue, well below their belief in the seriousness of ‘use of illicit drugs’.
• A third of Oregon teens are unaware of fentanyl being used to make counterfeit pills and about half (47%) of Oregon teens and young adults consider themselves knowledgeable about fentanyl generally.
• Less than 3 out of 4 (68%) of Oregon young adults know where to obtain Naloxone, 4 out of 10 (39%) don’t know how to use it, and nearly half (46%) don’t know how to recognize the signs of an overdose.
• Three-quarters of Oregon teens and more than half of young adults say they are less likely to use a prescription pill without a prescription after learning about the risks of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
New Drug Talk Oregon
With backing from Trillium Community Health Plan, Song for Charlie is launching The New Drug Talk Oregon (TNDT OR), an educational web platform designed to equip Oregon families with information about fentanyl, the dangers of self-medication and experimentation, and tips to have meaningful, high impact conversations about the rapidly-evolving drug landscape.
“Fentanyl is devastating families across Oregon. We must ensure that young people understand the dangers of counterfeit pills and fentanyl,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “Song for Charlie’s innovative program is freely available and will equip parents, grandparents, and other caring adults with the knowledge necessary for life-saving discussions with the young people in their lives.”
“Trillium is dedicated to partnering with the state, organizations, communities, and families as we collectively mobilize new resources to address the epidemic of drug overdoses in Oregon,” said Trillium Plan President and CEO Sarah Kelley Brewer. “Song for Charlie shares our commitment to providing access to education and resources as essential tools to save kids’ lives and transform the health of the communities we serve.”
The new program will be led by Jennifer Epstein of Washington County, Oregon, SFC’s Director of Strategic Programs, who lost her son Cal in 2020 to a counterfeit pill containing fentanyl. “Family drug talks are one of the most awkward and uncomfortable parts of parenting but given the proliferation of fentanyl in all communities across our state these talks can be lifesaving and are essential. ‘The New Drug Talk: Connect to Protect Oregon’ provides a wide variety of easy-to-use tools Oregon families can use to help protect their families from the worst public health crisis our state has ever seen. Our hope is that we can prevent more Oregon teens from making the same catastrophic mistake Cal made.”
“In the face of the rising tide of fentanyl flooding into Oregon and other parts of the country, it is our youth who bear the heaviest burden. To safeguard their future, we must arm families with knowledge and open dialogues about the deadly risks of fentanyl, ensuring that awareness becomes their shield and education their armor in the battle against this insidious threat,” said Chris Gibson, Executive Director, Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program.
“The well-being of our students is the top priority for school leaders. We cannot lose any more of our children to Fentanyl. The Song for Charlie program provides a necessary tool to combat this plague in our society,” said Dr. Mark Mulvihill, Superintendent Intermountain Education Service District.
Community Engagement and Kickoff Event
The launch of TNDT OR will be marked by a community forum hosted by the Hillsboro School District on May 7th at 6:00 pm at PCC Willow Creek. This event, open to all Washington County parents and caregivers, will feature a screening of the TNDT film and a panel discussion, aimed at promoting dialogue and proactive community engagement on combating the fentanyl crisis and supporting mental health.
The full report can be found here. For more information about the educational platform, visit https://www.thenewdrugtalk.org/oregon.
Song for Charlie is also launching La Nueva Drug Talk, a nationwide family fentanyl education program for the Hispanic speaking community.
