Roanoke Co. School Board member pushes for drug monitoring of student athletes

ROANOKE COUNTY (WSLS 10) - A Roanoke County School board member says he wants the district to be more involved in monitoring illegal drug use among students.

This comes after board member Jerry Canada attended a heroin summit to teach the community about how to combat the growing drug epidemic.

Part of the policy that Canada wants the school board to adopt would focus on student athletes who are prescribed opioids. He says by being able to monitor them - the school would be able to prevent a problem, before it happens.

According to the national institute on drug abuse, an addiction to prescription pain killers can lead to heroin use, a more addictive drug, that's not only more lethal, but cheaper and easier to get a hold of.

Local police have seen an increase in heroine cases throughout Southwest and central Virginia over the past several years.

In fact, according to state records, fatal heroin overdoses have tripled since 2011.

Canada publicly told the school board he thinks it's time for the school system to be more proactive in combating the problem.

He asked the board to consider adopting a policy that would monitor student athletes who are prescribed opioids after an injury, as well as stocking the school nurses office with Narcan, a prescription medicine used to block the effects of opioids during an overdose in an emergency situation.

At this time, Roanoke County does not have a policy in place, but this discussion is expected to come up again at future board meetings.


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