>> Martha: A CALIFORNIA MOM IS
WARNING OTHER PARENTS ABOUT THE
EXTREME DANGERS OF FENTANYL.
HER 17-YEAR-OLD SON, ZACHARY,
WAS KILLED BY A COUNTERFEIT PILL
THOUGHT TO BE PERCOCET BUT MADE
UP OF FENTANYL.
FENTANYL CONTRIBUTED TO 77% OF
ADOLESCENT DEATHS.
THINK ABOUT THAT.
77% OF THE KID THAT DIED IN 2021
IN THIS COUNTRY BETWEEN THE AGES
OF 14 AND 18 CAN BE TRACED BACK
TO FENTANYL.
WITH THAT, WE BRING IN DR. MARC
SIEGEL, PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT
NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER AND
LAURA, THE MOTHER OF ZACHARY
THAT SAYS THAT WE ALL NEED TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING.
WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.
LAURA
LAURA, LET ME START WITH YOU.
TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TO ZACH.
>> THIS IS NOTHING THAT WE WERE
PREPARED FOR.
ZACH WAS A 17-YEAR-OLD HIGH
SCHOOL SENIOR.
HE HAD NO HISTORY WITH ABUSING
DRUGS OR ALCOHOL.
SO IT WAS A COMPLETE SHOCK TO US
WHEN HE WAS FOUND AT HIS DESK
AND PASSED AWAY TWO DAYS AFTER
CHRISTMAS OF 2020.
CAME TO FIND OUT, HE HAT GOTTEN
WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A PERCOCET
PILL AND HE HAD TAKEN THE PILL
AFTER EVERYONE HAD GONE TO BED.
NEVER WOKE UP.
WHEN THE AUTHORITIES CAME, THERE
WERE NO DRUGS IN HIS ROOM, THERE
WAS NO INJURY TO HIS BODY.
IT WAS A HISTORY WHY HE WOULD BE
DEAD.
TRAGICALLY IN OUR COUNTY,
THERE’S A LARGE UPTICK IN
FENTANYL DEATHS.
THE CORONER’S OFFICE IS THE
FIRST TO SUGGEST IT WAS
FENTANYL.
>> Martha: HE’S A BEAUTIFUL BOY.
I’M SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
I GIVE YOU SO MUCH CREDIT FOR
HAVING TO STRENGTH TO SPEAK OUT
ABOUT THIS.
EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT THIS.
DR. SIEGEL, TELL US WHAT WE NEED
TO UNDERSTAND HERE AND WHAT
SHOULD PARENTS SAY TO THEIR
TEENAGE KIDS.
>> IT STARTS WITH TRANS NATIONAL
CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS IN MEXICO
THAT IS COBBLING TOGETHER
SUPPLIES FROM CHINA AND INDIA
FENTANYL AND PUTTING THEM IN
PILLS AS LAURA SAID THAT LOOK
LIKE SOMETHING ELSE.
LOOK LIKE PERCOCET AND XANAX AND
ADDERALL.
THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR
PHYSICIANS AND PARENTS TO WARN
KID PROPERLY.
THIS IS A NEW SITUATION THAN
WHAT WE’VE HAD BEFORE.
THEY THINK THEY’RE GETTING ONE
THING AND GETTING SOMETHING ELSE.
THE IDEA THAT FENTANYL IS 50 TO
100 TIMES MORE POTENT THAN
MORPHINE.
I TELL PARENTS TO BE ON THE LOOK
OUT FOR WHAT YOUR TEENS ARE
DOING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM
ABOUT IT, TALK TO THEM ABOUT --
LOOK FOR CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR.
SUDDEN CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR.
ARE THEY BECOMING MORE ISOLATED
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC IS.
THERE MORE DEPRESSION GOING ON,
ANXIETY.
THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS BECAUSE
OF THE PANDEMIC IS DIRECTLY TIED
IN TO THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE
PROBLEM.
>> Martha: LAURA, DOES ANY OF
THAT RING TRUE FOR YOU?
WAS ANY OF THAT TRUE IN YOUR
SITUATION?
>> WELL, ZACH WAS VERY HAPPY.
HIS CONCERN WAS OBVIOUSLY
LOCKDOWN AND HIS SENIOR YEAR OF
HIGH SCHOOL.
HE CERTAINLY HAD SOME STRUGGLES
WITH THAT.
LIKE EVERY CHILD WAS HAVING.
IT WASN’T OUT OF THE NORM FOR
THIS EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCE.
ALL OF HIS FRIENDS WE HAVE
SPOKEN TO AFTERWARDS, THEY ARE
LIKE ZACH WAS HAPPY, ZACH WAS
GREAT.
BEING SO BLINDSIDED AS WELL.
WHY IS OUR BEST FRIEND GONE.
JUST SHOWED ME WHAT AN
INFORMATION GAP THERE WAS AND I
WANTED TO FILL IT.
>> Martha: OUR HEART BREAKS FOR
YOU.
OUR CHILD CANNOT TAKE A PILL
THAT ANYONE GIVES THEM.
NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IS IN IT.
HOW MUCH OF THIS IS DUE TO AN
OPEN BORDER?
>> Martha: A LOT OF THIS IS.
>> ONLY ONE PILL CAN KILL.
YOU MAY NOT GET A WARNING.
AND NOW ISO IS COMING THROUGH
THE BLOCK WHICH IS 20 TIMES MORE
POWERFUL THAN FENTANYL.
WE HAVE AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM.
PHYSICIANS HAVE TO GET EDUCATED.
WE HAVE ANTIDOTES.
THEY HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AS
WELL.
>> IT’S A BIG ISSUE.
WE’LL STAY ON IT.