How - And Why - To Talk To Teens About Fake Pills
These National Fentanyl Awareness Day events will help you talk about a challenging topic
Hi Readers -
I’m inviting you to join me at some free events as part of National Fentanyl Awareness Day. These events offer a powerful way to understand today's drug landscape and take action to protect your community from fentanyl and fake prescription pills.
I’ve also featured some excellent resources for families and teachers about this topic. Together, we can turn awareness into action.
Big love,
Christopher
#1: Overdose Deaths are Down—the Risks Aren’t
Overdose deaths are down from record highs—and that’s real progress worth acknowledging. But a closer look at the data tells a more complicated story. The drug supply is still dangerous and still evolving, new substances are entering the picture, and there’s growing concern that signs of progress may be creating a false sense of security at exactly the wrong moment.
This session brings together leading researchers and prevention experts for a frank, data-driven conversation about where things actually stand—and what it means for families, educators and communities working to keep young people safe.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
9 am PT / Noon ET
Register Here
#2: The New Drug Landscape: A Conversation with Parents Who’ve Been There
The drug landscape has shifted—and the conversation around prevention needs to shift with it. Fentanyl remains a serious threat, but new substances are entering the supply, the relationship between mental health and drug use is coming into sharper focus, and the old “just say no” approach has never been less useful.
In this candid, unscripted conversation, three parents who have experienced the worst—and dedicated themselves to making sure other families don’t—talk openly about what’s changed, what’s coming, and where prevention goes from here.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Noon PT / 3 pm ET
Register Here
#3: How to Talk to Your Kids About Drugs Right Now
Most parents know they should talk to their kids about drugs. Few feel equipped to do it—especially now, when the drug landscape looks nothing like it did a generation ago. Fake prescription pills, high-potency cannabis, kratom—the risks are real, they’re evolving, and the conversation can’t wait.
This session brings together a parent and coach who has lived the stakes firsthand and a physician who works directly with teens and families for an honest, practical conversation about how to approach drug safety talks with your kids. No slides, no jargon—just the information and perspective parents need to feel prepared.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
3 pm PT / 6 pm ET
Register Here
How Do I Talk with My Teen About Fentanyl?
In this special episode of the “Ask Lisa” podcast, Dr. Lisa Damour and Reena Ninan are joined by Ed Ternan and Marcia Lee Taylor of Song for Charlie, a national non-profit dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl.
Ed, who tragically lost his 22 year-old son to a counterfeit prescription pill, and Marcia, former President and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, cover the basics about fentanyl and offer concrete guidance on how to have effective conversations with teens about its dangers.
How To Teach About Fentanyl
Like some other states, California has a new law requiring schools to teach about fentanyl. Stanford’s REACH Lab is ready to help with “Aware & Prepare: A Comprehensive Curriculum for Fentanyl & Other Opioid Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction.”
These free lessons are designed to help students:
Describe what opioid drugs are, including fentanyl, and explain their general effects on the brain and body.
Identify the potential harms and both the real and perceived benefits of opioid (including fentanyl) use.
Recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid/fentanyl overdose and demonstrate appropriate steps to respond in an emergency.
Apply naloxone and fentanyl test strips as harm reduction tools.
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