Watch the KCRA 3 Investigates special report: Fighting Fentanyl (2024)

ANNOCER:UN WHERE THE NSEW COMES FIRST, THIS IS KCRA THREE NEWS AT 7:00. >> WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW. ANNOUNCER: ONE YEAR AFTER KCR3A BROUGHT YOU THE STORY OF A 17 YEAR-OLD ROCKLIN BOY WHO LOST HIS LIFE. >> SHE WAS MY ONLY CHILD AND SHE’S GONE. >> HUNDREDS MORE PARENTS AND FAMILIES IN OUR AREA HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME FATE. >> IT WAS A PERCOCET SHE HAD TAKEN, HALF OF, NOT EVEN THE WHOLE THING, BUT IT WAS FENTANYL. >> FENTANYL HIDDEN IN COUNTERFEIT PILLS AND SOLD ONLINE. >> THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE TAKING SOMETHING AT IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE. BRN:IA EVEN A TINY AMOUNT PROVEN DEADLY. >> IT WAS UNIMAGINABLE. MY DAUGHTER HAD NO HISTORY OF DRUG USE. BRIAN: TONIGHT IN A SPECIAL REPORT, HOW MUCH WORSE THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME IN THE LAST YEAR, THE NEW WAYS THAT DRUGS ARE BEING DISGUISED, WTHA YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SEEING IN SCHOOL. >> ALLHE T TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS, THAT’S WHAT THEY ARE DOING. BRIAN: AND, HOW EXPESRT SAY PARENTS SHOULD TALK WITH THEIR KIDS. >> WE SHOULD COMMUNICATE AND EDUCATE. IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START. BRIAN: GOOD EVENING, I’M BRIAN HEAP. ROU FOCUS, A SHOCKING RISE IN DEATHS IN OUR AREA CAUSED BY FENTAN.YL ONE YEAR AGO KCR3A BROUGHT YOU THE HEARTBREAKING STORY OF 17-YEAR-OLZAD CHARY OF ROCKLAND. IT’S A STORY WE BELIEVED HAS NOT ONLY RAISED AWARENESS IN ETH MONTHS SINCE, A POSSIBLY SAVED LIVES. IT’S SOAL ONE THAT HAS CHANGED HOW WE REPORT THE TRAGEDIES AND THE LANGUAGE WE USE. ZACK’S STORY OPENED OUR EYES TO THE FACT THAT ISTH BLACKHOLE CALLED FENTANYL ISN’T JUST SWALLOWING THOSE WHO ARE ADDICTED TO DRUGS. IT’S ALSO KILLING PEOPLE WHO DON’T EVEN KNOW THEY ARE TAKING IT. TONIGHT, WE LOOK AT HOW THE CONVERSATION HAS EVOLVED. THE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH BEING DONE IN SCHOOLS, AND WAYS FOR PARENTS TO START A CONVERSATION WITH THEIR CHILDREN. WE WILL ALSO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM TEENAGERS WHO TELL US THE PROBLEM IS BIGGER AND RUNS DEEPERHA TN YOU MIGHT THINK. WE BEGIN WITH A CLUB THAT NO PARENT OR SIBLING EVER WANTS TO JOIN, YET WSEHO MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS ARE QUICKLY GROWING. EVERY SINGLE DAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING THE PAIN OF LOSING A LOVED ONE TO FENTANYL. JANSO MARKS SAT DOWN WITH TWO MOMS WHO ARE LEFT ONLY WITH THE MEMORIES OTHF EIR DAUGHTERS. >> I SAID, I’M ONE AND DONE. >> LIKE MOST PARENTS. >> THESE ARE MY PHOTO ALBUMS. LIKE SHE CAPTURED EVERY MOMENT. >> TSHI IS HER FIRST BIRTHDAY, HER FIRST BIRTHDAY CAKE. >> OHERF DAUGHRTE’S EVERY ACCOMPLIMESHNT. >> HER FIRST TIME ICE-SKATING. >> EAS--T EACH IMAGE, PRECIOUS TIME BETWEEN LOVED ONES. >> I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE MEMORIES I GOT TO MAKE WITH HER. >> LET THESE MEMORIES ARE NOW ALL SHE HAS TO HOLD ONTO. >> THIS WAS ACTUALLY HER LAST BIRTHDAY THAT I GOT TO SPEND WITH HER. >> THIS IS HER PAINFUL REALITY. >> ON IN EARLY MARCHOR MNING LAST YEAR. >> MARCH 4 IS THE DAY I GOT THE PHONE CALL. >> WHAT FOLLOWED THE FAMILY MEMBERS CALL WILL STICK WITH HER THE REST OF HER LIFE. >> I WANTED TO CALL YOU BECAUSE JADE IS IN THE HOSPITAL AND IT’S NOT LOOKING GOOD. >> WHEN SHE GOT TO THE HOSPITAL. >> NOBODY PREPARED ME FOR WHAT I’M WALKING INTO. >> THERE WAS JADE ON LIFE SUPPORT. >> I JUST LOSMYT FOOTING, MY KNEES WENT COMPLETELY WEAK WHEN I SAW MY DAUGHTER LAYING THE.RE >> DOCTORS WERE ABLE TO SAVE JADE’S LIFE. >> SHE WAS MY ONLY CHILD AND SHE’S GONE. >> INHE T DAYS FATHERING -- FOLLOWING, SHE LEARNED JADE WAS ANOTHER VICTIM OF A GROWING EPIDEMIC. >> IT WASN’T UNTIL LATER THAT I LEARNED THAT IT WAS A PERCOCET THAT SHE HAD TAKEN HALF OF, NOT EVEN THE WLEHO THING. IT WAS FENTANYL. MY DAUGHTER WAS POISONED TO DEATH. >> TO THIS D,AY MOM STILL DOESN’T KNOW WHERE THE DRUGS CAME FROM. >> I DON’T WANT TO RELIVE THIS EVERY DAY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON’T WANT ANY OERTH FAMILY TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. IS THE WORST TNGHI IN THE WOR.LD A PARENT SHOULD NEVER OUTLIVE THEIR CHILD. >> TRAGEDY CAN ALSO BE FELT INSIDE THIS VALLEY SPRINGS HOME. >> IT WAS UNIMAGINABLE. MY DAUGHRTE HAD NO HISTORY OF DRUG USE, EVER. >> JANUARY 2, 2021, THE DAY HER PHEON RANG. HER DAUGHTER’S FRIEND, FRANTIC ON THE OTHER END. >> I WAS WONDERING WHY WAS SHE CALLING. WHY WASN’T AT MY DAUGERHT THAT CALLED. SHE WAS HYSTERICAL AND TOLD ME SHE WAS DEAD. I WAS LIKE, WHAT ? >>HE S WAS A 39-YEAR-OLD MOTHER OF THREE FOUND DEAD IN HER OWN BED. >> IT WAS A KICK IN THE STOMACH. >> LIKE JADE, SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS TAKING PERCOCET, BUT NO PERCOCET WAS FOUND IN HER SYSTEM, IT WAS FENTANYL. >> I THINK ABOUT IT CONSTANT,LY EVERY WAKING MOMENT. I THINK ABOUT IT WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING. AS THE LAST THING I THINK ABOUT WHEN I GO TO BED. >> ROSE IS SEARCHING FOR AN SWERS. >> I WANT TO KNOW WHO SHE GOT IT FROM, I WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER. >> SHE FEELS AS IF SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. >> I LOOK AT IT AS IF SHE WAS MURDERED, BECAUSE SHE WAS MURDERED BECAUSE SHE DID NOT KNOWINGLY TAKE FENTANYL. >> WHEN YOU COME HERE IT’S LIKE, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE LEFT OF MY DAUGHTER. >> THIS IS THE REALITY FOR SO MANY MOTHERS HERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. >> MIS IS HER. I MISS HER A LOT AND I WISH SHE WAS HERE. >> A FEELING OF EMPTINESS. THAT WILNEL VER GO AWAY. >> I’M SORRY THIS HAPPENED TO HER. >> JUST TRYING TO FIND ANY BIT OF LIGHT IN THE DARKEST OF DAYS. >> I WILL SEE HER AGAIN SOMEDAY. BRIAN: ANOERTH FAMILY WHO LIVES. WITHOUT HEARTBREAK EVERYAY D IS ZACHARY’S FAMILY. HE WAS A 17 YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR IN ROCKLAND AND WAS MAKING PLANNING FOR COLLEGE WITH AN INCREDIBLY BRIGHT FUTURE AHD,EA BUT IT ALL ENDED BECAUSE OF HE BOUGHT WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS AER PCOCET FROM SOMEONE HE MET ROTHUGH SNAPCHAT. THAT DEALERS SOLD HIM A COUNTERFEIT PILL MADE WITH FENTANYL. JOINING ME ARE ZACK’S PARENTS AND, THESE ARE THE TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST RESNSPOIBLE FOR OPENING MY EYES TO THIS PROBLEM ANDHE TY HAVE REALLY HELPED TO RESHAPE THE WAY THAT KCRA 3 IS COVERING THE EPIDEMIC. IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. >> I REMEMBER ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO WHEN YOU TOLD ME THE STORY AND YOU SAID BRIAN, WE DIDN’T KNOW AND WE’VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT OTHER PARENTS KNOW ABOUT THIS. AND YOU BOTH HAVE DEDICATED YOUR LIVES OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, TO DOING JUST THAT. TELL ME ABOUT THIS JOURNEY. >> IT WAS A DIFFILTCU DECISION TO MAKE BECAUSEAC ZH WAS LIVING THIS GREAT LIFE AND YOU WORRY ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WILL THINK OF YOUR CHILD, BUT WE KNEW HIM SO WELLND A WE KNEW HE ALWAYS WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE, AND WE KNEW HE WOULD NOT WANT US TO BECOME AWARE OF THIS CRISIS IN THAT SHOW WHAT WE LEARNED. AS A FAMILY WITH OUR OTHER KIDS WE DECIDED TO MAKE THIS OUR MISSION AND WARN OTHER FAMILIES SO THEYON D’T HAVE TO SUFFER THIS WAY. BRIAN: I KNOW YOU GO INTO SCHOOLS, YOU DO PRESENTATIONS, I HAVE BEEN THERE. YOU DO THEM FOR PARENTS AS WELL. TELL ME, HOW HAS THIS BEEN RECEIVED, ESPECIALLY AMONG TEENS? >> IT HAS BEEN RECEIVED QUITE WELL, BUT I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF TREPIDAONTI AND HEARING THE IDEA OF A PARENT OR AN ADULT WANTING TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT A TRICKY TOPIC. BUT WHEN IT’AS PARENT, A GRIEVING FAMILY THAT COMES INTO THREI CLASSROOM, AND WE COME FROM A VERY OPEN PERSPECTIVE AND AN HONEST PLACE, AND TO SAY, THIS IS A DANGER, WE ARE NOT TRYING TO LLTE YOU WHAT TO DO OR WHAT NOT TO DO, WE ARE TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT THERE IAS DANGER. THERE IS DECEPTION BEHINDHE T DANGER, AND YOUR AGE GROUP IS THE MOST IMPACTED, AND WE WANT YOU ALIVE. WE WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND TO KNOW. BRIAN: WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP IN THIS ADVOCACY MOVEMENT? ONE OF T THEHINGS YOU BOTH HAVE WORKED HARD ON IS TRYING TO GET THE SOCIAL MIAED PLATFORMS TO DO MORE. AND THEY ARE DOING MORE THAN THEY WERE BEFORE, MAYBE IT’S ARGUABLE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE DOING ENOUGH, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE NEXT STEP? >> JUST CONTINUING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT. IN PERSON, WE FIND IT WORKS WELL. WHEN WE GET IN FRONT OF THE KIDS AND THEY HEAR OUR STORY FACE TO FACE AND SEE OUR CONCERN FROM THEM. GETTING MESSAGES OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MIAED, WHERE THE KIDS ARE. DIFFERENT PUBLISEC RVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT THEY WILL SEE WILL -- WHERE THEY ARE, AND GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS HAS BEEN REALLY EYE-OPENING FOR THEM, THEY ARE SO COMPASSIONATE, THEY ARE SO KIND, AND YOU CAN TELL THE MESSAGE IS REALLY LANDING. BRIAN: IT’SOT N JUST THE AWARENESS, BECAUSE YOU BOTH HAVE BEEN REALLY INVOLVED IN THE CAPITAL, GOING TO THE CAPITAL, TRYING TO GET NEW LAWS PASSED. SOMETHING ATTH WILL STIFFEN THE PUNISHMENTS FOR FENTANYL TRAFFICKERS. WHAT'’ YOUR MESSAGE DAN WHAT DO YOU THINK IS NEXT? >> I THINK THAT THERE IS AN OLD PARADIGM THAT WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH. IN OUR ADVOCACY, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS THE STIGMA THAT TENDS TO CONNECT WITH THE MESSAGE WE ARE SAYING. WHEN A NEW PROBLEM, A NEW COMPLEXITY OF WHAT FENTANYL BRINGS, IT’S HARD TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE, GENERAL PEOPLE, PARENTS, EDUCATORS DAN EVEN LAWMAKERS TEND TO COMPARTMENTALIZE AND THINK, THAT’S AN OLD PROBLEM. BUT THAT’S A MISUNDERSTANDING AND THEY ARE MISSING THE MESSAGE. WE NEED TO GET PAST THAT AND SAY IT’S A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. IN THE PAST IS A SPPLIERY SLOPE WHEN SOMEONE WOULD EXPERIMENT WITH A PRODUCT LEIK MARIJUANA, HEROIN OR ANY OTHER ILLITIC PRODUCT. BUT NOW, WITH FENTANYL INTO PLAY, DAN THIS MADE IN CLANDESTINE LABS THAT ARE LEALTH, IT CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT THAT’S LIKE A MINE FIELD AND THERE IS NO CHANCE TO LEARN LIFE’S LESSONS DREW THE SLIPPERY SLOPE. WE NDEE TO ENTAC NEW LAWS AND IMPLEMENT BETTER SAFEGUARDS TO PREVENT THESE SENSELESS DEATHS. BRIAN: WE FIRST MET YOU BOTH TOLD ME YOU WANTED TO HONOR YROU SON AND YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY DONE THAT. I WANTED TO SHARE A MESSAGE THAT I TGO TODAY FROM THE PLACER COUNTY DTRISICT ATTORNEY WHO LDTO ME, THIS IS HIS QUOTE, LAURA AND CHRIS’S ACTIVISM AND PASSION HAVE HELPED COUNTLESS OTHER GRIEVING PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THROUGH THEIR DARKEST DAYS AND IT CONTINUES TO BE INSPIRATIONAL. HE SAID IT REALLY WELL, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. WHEN WE COME BACK, THE NEW FORMS OF FENTALNY PARENTS MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THIS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE. WE SPEAK WITH THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FROM STANISLAUS COUNTY ABOUT WHAT TO WATCH T OUFOR. BRIAN: WELCOME BACK TO OUR SPECIAL REPORT. FENTANYL HAS CHANGE THE GAME FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. AGENCIES FROM ETH BAY TO THE FOOTHILLS AND UP AND DOWN THE CENTRAL VALLEY ARE SCRAMBLING TO GET THIS DEADLY DRUG OFF THE STREET. AND THEY ARE MAKING BIG BUCKS. THIS IS A PHOTO FROM GAULT POLICE. IT’S A BAG OF COUNTERFEIT PILLS FOUND IN A HOTEL ROOM EARLIER THIS WEEK. OFFICERS SAY THISAG B HAS A WHOLE POUND OF PILLS. LISTEN TO THIS, POLICE SAY THERE’S ENOUGH FENTANYL THERE TO FILL UP TO 227,000 PEOPLE. THAT’S BECAUSE A DOSE OF JUST TWO MILLIGRAMS OF FENTANYL WOULD FILL MOST PEOPLE. JUST YESTERDAY MODESTO POLICE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THIS MAN. POLICE SAY HE RAN FROM A TRAFFIC STOP AND LEFT BEHIND A STASH OF 300 PILLS CONTAINING FENTANYL. IS WANTED FOR DRUG CHARGES AND TWO OUTSTANDING DRUG WARRANTS. JOINING US LIVE NOW IS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT SHOCKED BY THOSE PHOTOS AND THOSE STORIES. PATRICK HOGAN IAS DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN STANISLAUS COUNTY AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH DRUG AND GGAN CASES. WE TALK ABOUT FENTANYL THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. COUNTERFEIT PILLS ARE KILLING PEOPLE UNKNOWINGLY, THEN WE HAVE PELEOP WHO ARE DRUG USERS WHO ARE PURPOSELY GOING OUT AND SEEKING FENTANYL THESE DAYS. HELP OUR VIEWERS UNDERSTAND JUST HOW BIG THIS PROBLEM IS NOW AND HOW MUCH BIGGER IT HAS BECOME SINCE COVID. PATRICK: IT’S A DIFFICULT THING TO TALK ABOUT. IN OUR COUNTY WE DESCREIB IT AS WE HAVE AN OVERDOSE CRISIS AND A POISONING CRISIS. WEAV HE PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING FENTANYL AND OVERDOSING, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO IDEA THE DRUG THEY ARE TAKING. THEY ARE BEING POISONED TO DEATH. I TALKED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE IN EVERY AGENCY IN MY COUNTY AND WHAT THEY DESCRIBE IS A CRISIS THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE VETERANS FOR 20 THIS 30 YEARS. THEY ARE SEEING DEATHS AT THE LIKES THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN. IN OUR COUNTY WE LOSE THREE TO FOUR PEOPLE EVERY WEEK TO OVERDOSE. BRIAN: YOU THINK OF ALL THE CHALLENGES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THEY ARE DEALING WITH VIOLENT CRIME, THEFT, THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE FENTANYL IS THIS COMMON THREAD WEAVING ITS WAY THROUGHOUT ALL OF IT, IS THAT TRUE? PATRICK: WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN OUR COUNTY IS BETWEEN 20 BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND NOW IT IS A CHANGE IN THE WAY IN WHICH NARCOTICS ARE OPERATING. FENTANYL IS DISPLACING EVERY OT HER DRUG. FENTANYL IS SHOWING UP IN EVERY SINGLE DRUG. WE ARE TESTING METHAMPHETAMINE SHOWING WITH FENNYTAL, WE ARE SHOWING PILLS SHOWING UP WITH FENTANYL. WE ARE SEEGIN FENTANYL PUT ITS CLAWS INTO EVERY PART OF OUR SOCIETY. BRIAN: RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT VIDEO. THESE ARE THE M 30 PILLS. THIS IS STILL OUT THERE ON THE STREETS, BUT THIS WAS A BIG PROBLEM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THAT’S NOT EVEN THE BIG PROBLEM ANYMORE. PATRICK: IN 2020 WE SAW THESE M 30 PILLS ON E THSTREETS. THEY ARE NOW KNOWN AS BLUES. IN 2020 WE HAD AN OVERDOSE CRISIS IN STANISLAUS COUNTY -- BY OVERDOSE, I MEAN OVERDOSE AND POISONING. WE WERE LOSING ONE TO TWO PEOPLE A WEEK, AND THAT WAS SHOCKING TO US. THE DIFFERENCE IS, IN 2021, WE HAVE DRUG USERS THAT ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING THOSE SAME PILLS THAT WERE POISONING PEOPLE IN 2020 BECAUSE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE DRUGS. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THAT HIGH. BRIAN: WE ALSO HAVE THE COLORED FENTANYL THAT IS A NEW MARKETING THING. IT’S ALSTMO A PUTTY-LIKE SUBSTANCE. TELL ME WHAT THIS IS AND WHY PEOPLE ARE SEEKING THIS OUT. PATRICK: LAST YEAR IN 2020 WE BEGAN TOEE S THIS BRIGHTLY COLORED FENTANYL AND I AND OTHER MEMBEROFS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COUNTY DIDN’T INTERVIEW WITH A DRUG DEALER WHO IS BRINGING FENTANYL INTO THE COUNTY AND HE SAID HE COULD GO INTO SAN FRANCISCO INTO THE TENDERLOIN AND DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND PEOPLE WOULD COME TO HIS CAR AND SAY, I HAVE READ, I HAVE BLUE, I HAVE PURPLE. THA’'S BECAUSE THEY WERE SELLING FENTANYL IN COLORS. THE PHOTO YOU JUST SHOWED WAS A BUS TT HAWAS DONE BY THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATED UNIT OF MY COUNTY’S DEPARTMENT. THAT IS THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE OF THIS BRIGHTLY COLORED FENTANYL TAKING OVER THE MARKET. WE THINK IT’S A MARKETING GIMMICK, BUT IT SHOWING UP EVERYWHERE. BRIAN: YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS, WE ARE TALKGIN ABOUT A DRUG THAT IS SO ADDICTIVE. YOU HAVE SEEN ISTH PROBLEM THROUGH EVERY LENS POSSIBLE. IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE YOU NTWA OUR VIEWERS TO GET TONIGHT? PATRICK: TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I WORK WITH INCREDIBLY DEDICATED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, PEOPLE WORKING DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO SAVE LIVES. BUT WHAT’S AMAZING IS, NO MATTER HOW MUCH FENTANYL SOMEONE IS SELLING -- AND THIISS INCREDIBLE -- IT DOESN’T QUALIFY FOR STATE PRISON. IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, SOMEONE COULD BE OUT THERE SELLING A POISON THAT’S KILLING PEOPLE IN THE THOUSANDS, AND OUR LEGISLATOR IN LAW’S VIEWHA TT AS A NONVIOLENT OFFENSE. BRIAN: THAT’S SHOCKING TO HEAR. PATRICK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ARE DOING WITH THE STANISLAUS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE. PATRICK: THANK YOU FOR COVERING THIS. BRN:IA THIS PROBLEM IS GROWING QUICKLY, IT CAN BE SCARY FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE PARENTS OF TEENS, THOSE MOMS AND DADS KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO MONITOR WHAT THEIR CHILDREN DO AT ALL TIMES. MELANIE WINGO TALKED WITH THREE TEENAGERS FROM THE SACRAMENTO AREA AND SHE JOINS US WITH THEIR PERSPECTIVE. MELANIE: WE WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS KNOW ABOUT FENTAN.YL TALKED WITH TEENAGERS FROM OUR AREA TO SEE WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS DRUG. >> I HAD TO PEERS THAT PASSED AWAY BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY REWE TAKING SOMETHING, IT WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING ELSE. >> THE PROBLEM I’M SEEING NOW IS FENTANYL AND TEENS ARE NOT AWARE OF THE COUNTERFEIT PIL ALSND HOW EASILY SOMETHING GETS LACED. >> -- MELANIE: IT’S CLEAR TEENAGERS ARE HEARING ABOUT FENTANYL, THAT THE TRAPS SOME MAY FALLNT IO ARE THEY UNDERESTIMATE ITS DANGER, SOME KIDS MAY NOT KNOW THEY ARE GETTING FENTANYL IF THEY GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA LOOKING FOR PILLS LIKE ECSTASY OR PAIN KILLERS AND GET SOMETHING LACED WITH FENTANYL. >> I COULD MESSAGE THEM FOR THE MENU, AND WITHIN ANYWHERE BETWEEN AN HOUR OR TWO THE DAY, DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY ARE OUT DRIVING AROUND, I COULD HAVE IT ON MY DOORSTEP WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO OR 24 HOURS. >> WHEN YOU ARE BY YOURSELF YOU MAY FEEL LIKE, I WANT TO TRY SOMETHING. I’M BORED. NOTHING IS REALLY GOING ON FOR ME. SO, I MIGHT AS WELL TRY, WHAT IS THERE TO LOSE. >> MY GENERATION IS RECKLESS AND THEY JUST DON’T CARE, OR IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME BECAUSE I’VE BEEN DOING IT FOR SO LONG OR I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING OR I ONLY GET IT FROM THIS ONE PERSON. MELANIE: WHEN IT COMES TO HOW TEENAGERS ARE TALKING WITH THEIR PARENTS ABOUT FENTANYL, IT VARIES. SOME KIDS HAVE DISCUSSED FENTANYL SPECIFICALLY WITH THEIR PARENTS, OTHERS VEHA HEARD ABOUT THE DRUG DANGERS OVERALL. >> WITH PARENTS, THEY GAVE ME THE TALK AND IT WAS LIKE, WE DON’T NEED YOU TO DO THAT, WE NEED YOU TO STAY FOCUSED AND STAY ON THE RIGHT PATH. >> MY MOM ALWAYS TELLS ME YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IT COULD BE LACED WITH. YOU RVENE KNOW. YOU CAN SMOKE FOR 10 YEARS AND ONE DAY YOU GO TO SMOKEND A IT’S LACED WITH SOMETHING AND YOU ARE DONE. >> YOU ARE A PARENT AND YOU LOVE YO UR KID BUT YOU DON’T KNOW THIS WORLD. SOCIAL MEDIA, SNAPCHAT. MELANIE: A BIG REASON WE CONTINUE TO COVER THIS TOPIC IS TO HELP PARENTS HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR KIDS ABOUT FENTANYL. COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, MY CONVERSATION WITH A FAMILY THERAPIST, HER THOUGHTS ON HAVING MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUTEENS. BRIAN: CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DANGERS OF FENTANYL. WE HEARD FROM TEENAGERS AND GOT THEIR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ABOUT PARENTS? THEY MIGHT BE WONDERING, WHAT DO I DO, HOW DO I APPROACH THIS. YOU TALKED WITH AN EXPERT WHO HAD ADVICE. >> FENTANYL POISONING IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. WE LEARNED TTHA OVER THE MONTHS HERE. EXPERTS SAY IF WE LEAVE THINGS TO CHANCE WHEN IT COMES TO EXPRESSING THOSE DANGERS TO OUR KIDS, TTHA CAN HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. SO WE TALKED WITH KELLY RICHARDSON, SHE'’ A LICENSED PSYCHOTHERAPIST WITH A FAMILY THERYAP PRACTICE IN FOLSOM, AND SHE SAYS AVOIDING TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE DANGERS CAN BE QUITE A MISTAKE. >> WE CANNOT FOOL OURSELVES INTO THINKING, NOT MY KID, BECAUSE GOOD KIDS STILL MAKE IMPULSIVE, BAD DECISIONS. BURYING OUR HEADS IN THE SAND DOES NOT DOES -- DOES NOTHING TO HELP US AND HAS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR CHILD. MELANIE: RICHARDSON SAYS OUR APPROACH AS PARENTISS KEY. WE ARE HERE TO COMMUNICATE AND EDUCATE, AND IT’S OK TO EXPRESS EMPATHY. LETTING YOUR KID KNOW YOU GET IT, EXPERIMENTATION ISN’T LIKE WHAT IT WAS WHEN WE WERE KIDS. THERE IS NO MARGIN FOR ERROR. >> WE DON’T WANT OUR KIDS TO FEEL JUDGED, AND WE DON’T WANT THEM TO FEEL PUNISHED OR CONDEMNED. WE WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN OPEN, NONJUDGMENTAL CONVERSATION THAT WE CAN COME BACK TO WHENEVER WE NEED TO, THAT THEY CAN DIP IN, SHARE A LITTLE BIT AND DIP OUT AND WE WANT IT TO BE FLUID. BRIAN: SO WE WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION, BUT HOW DO YOU START THIS? MELANIE: THAT IS WHAT RICHARDSON SAYS YOU DON’T NEED TO HAVE A TIMELINE ON. THESE CONVERSATIONS COULD BE FIVE MINUTES, THEY COULD BE 30 MINUTES, AND YOU MAY NOT SEE THE RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT OF THIS DIALOGUE IMMEDIATELY. YOUR CHILD COULD BE FACED WITH THE PRESSURE TO TRY A DRUG YEARS AND YEARS FROM NOW, BUT THEY WILL -- THEY WILL REMEMBER THE TALKS YOU HAD WITH THEM, AND ULTIMATELY, IT COULD END UP SAVING THEIR LIFE. BRIAN: THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION, HEFOPULLY PARENTS TOOK SOME GOOD NOTES. OUR COVERGE CONTINUES ON THE KCRA 3 MOBILE APP, AND YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE TO SEE AN INTERACTIVE MAP. WE HAVE PUT IT TOGETHER AND IT SHOWS YOU HOW MANY FENTYLAN RELATED DEATHS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE STATE FOR 2020, AND IT SHOWS YOU THE IRENCDIBLE IMPACT ON YOUNGER PEOPLE. THANK YOU FOR BEING