Social media buzzed May 7 with rumors that a junior at LT had passed away due to an alleged heroin overdose, a cause that takes a life every three days in the Chicago suburbs, according to kirk.senate.gov.

“I would say that we are no better or no worse than the national trends,” Student Assistant Program Coordinator Jeanne Widing said. “National trends indicate that by the time people are in 12^th grade that a majority of kids that have used [illegal substances] are not users every weekend but that they have had some exposure to it.”

The alleged student death would not be confirmed by any LT administrators, nor could be confirmed by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office who was contacted by LION several times in the course of the two weeks following the news. As the Medical Examiner’s Office could not confirm the death, it is unknown whether he or she is dead or alive.

“The very nature of being adolescent means that you take risks,” Widing said. “You have a belief that you’re going to survive the risk taking. I still think there’s a lack of acceptance that it could happen to you. With marijuana, prescription meds and meds you buy off the street, you don’t know what the makeup is of those substances. You really can truly never know.”

The spike in heroin deaths in the area has been caused by drug dealers lacing fentanyl with heroin. Fentanyl, a concentrated opioid 40 to 50 times as potent as 100-percent pure heroin, is much easier to produce than heroin. The chemically-produced drug is used in the medical field for pain relief and is commonly laced with heroin to pack a punch in the otherwise exhausting, demanding and complex process of transforming an opium poppy to heroin, according to ABC 7.

“The increase in use and abuse of prescription medications has also led to increased use of narcotics and opioids which are cheaper and purer than ever,” Associate Principal Kevin Brown said.

For students who are observed with or in trouble for issues with illegal substance abuse and misuse, there exist three main options for how the administration works to solve it, Widing said. Aside from potential code of conduct violations, there is an alternate to suspension program that gives students the opportunity to cut back their suspension time if they perform an assessment and work with a professional trained in the area of substances. The third door leads to an intervention team comprised of Widing and trained teacher volunteers that anyone can refer to. The team discusses the student’s grades, behavior, symptoms and more to confidentially address the situation with the student.

“The code of conduct is meant as more of an intervention than a punishment,” Widing said. “It’s meant to create a discussion with the student and their family.”