Hundreds of parents and students educated themselves on fentanyl at a forum in Maple Ridge Wednesday night.
This event was organized by the Maple Ridge School Board as part of a community response to the growing opioid epidemic.
Organizers had set up seating for 250 people but ended up having to bring in a number of extra chairs as hundreds came out.
Members of the RCMP and Fraser Health, as well as various first responders and fentanyl victims gave a presentation to a packed gym at Westview Secondary.
“It’s a crisis across the Lower Mainland, across British Columbia,” said Maple Ridge councillor Kiersten Duncan. “We’re seeing it especially hitting youth, not just people who have been using drugs fairly regularly, but recreational users.”
“It’s terrifying. We’re seeing kids dropping like flies.”