Drug prevention messaging at Oregon schools varies widely, investigative series reveals

In November, the Oregon Health Authority began offering all middle and high schools in the state free kits containing naloxone, a medication used to reverse overdoses from opioids, including fentanyl. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl have been linked to accidental overdose deaths among multiple teens in Oregon. Amid this backdrop, a new investigative series from The Lund Report, University of Oregon's Catalyst Journalism Project  and OPB takes a look at what drug prevention messaging looks like in Oregon’s school districts. The investigation revealed that what students are being taught varies widely, and that many school districts don’t use programs backed by evidence that they are effective at delaying or preventing substance use. 

Emily Green is the managing editor of The Lund Report and the lead reporter on the series. She and Amelia Templeton, OPB’s health reporter, join us to talk about what they heard from district officials, educators and high school students around addiction prevention education in Oregon.

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