An outpatient rehab in Santa Clarita is discussing current drug trends among local teens with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Juvenile Intervention Team, known as the J-Team.

Melissa Flowers of The Way Out Recovery SCV was joined by J-Team Sgt Gooseberry and Intervention Specialist Travis Sabadin during the latest “The Way Out Recovery Hour” on KHTS to talk about an increase in Fentanyl, vaping and other topics related to teens. 

“What we want people to know is really what’s going on in the community,” Sabadin said. “We’re seeing a big uptick in Fentanyl.”

Related: Outpatient Rehab In Santa Clarita: Asking For Help Is The First Step

Fentanyl is a pain medication that is often laced in other drugs because of its ability to intensify the drug, but it’s not uncommon for the person taking the drug to not know about it, according to Sabadin. 

“Addicts have figured out that it’s going to break through and make any other drug feel even better because it can get through that blood membrane a whole lot faster, stay longer and stay stronger,” Sabadin explained. “One of the No. 1 reasons we’re here right now is to let everybody know, Fentanyl is getting put in any type of drug out there, from vapes all the way up to the top.”

Sabadin continued that any drug can be laced with Fentanyl, and this is particularly dangerous if a drug user doesn’t know it’s in a particular batch and attempts to take the same amount of the drug that they’re used to. 

“If you don’t know it’s there, you’re thinking, ‘Oh here, I’m just taking my (Xanax) today, I’m going to feel great’ — no,” Sabadin said. “Do you know what’s in that pill? Are you sure what you’re taking? The majority of people have no idea.”

This can also be said of THC content in vape products, Sabadin continued, noting that when he was younger, weed had a THC content of around 14, and today teenagers are vaping with THC levels in the high 90s, often without even realizing it. 

“There was a reason we called it weed — it was sticks, stems and seeds,” he said. “These kids now, they’re getting a hold of vape that’s got THC in it that’s 95, 98 percent pure THC. Their one hit is like you and I throwing a whole doobie back.”

The nicotine levels present in some vape products are also extremely high compared to traditional cigarettes, which many teens probably don’t realize, according to Flowers. 

“I can’t even fathom taking one hit of what they’re smoking today,” she said. “And they’re smoking a bunch. It’s kind of interesting to hear them so nonchalant about how much they’re ingesting or what it’s doing to them or that they’re getting really sick from it, and that doesn’t trigger them to want to not do it anymore.”

Sabadin added, “It’s not like the cigarette you used to smoke — it’s nothing like that because of the content. And then we don’t even want to get started on the synthetic stuff, and the kids don’t even know if it’s synthetic or not, where it’s made, and now add THC to the neck on top of just straight vape.”

To hear Sabadin, Gooseberry and Flowers continue their conversation about drug trends among teens in Santa Clarita, watch the YouTube video above or click here for the full podcast. 

Ed. Note: This article is a KHTS Community Spotlight for The Way Out Recovery SCV.

In Santa Clarita, drug issues are a major concern for many. The mission of The Way Out Recovery Outpatient Rehab in Santa Clarita is to provide high quality, effective alcohol and drug rehab outpatient services to the Santa Clarita Valley. The Santa Clarita rehab’s goal is to assist adolescents, adults and their loved ones in becoming happily and usefully whole, free from drug addiction. Those seeking alcohol and drug treatment in Santa Clarita, a drug rehab in Santa Clarita, a teen drug rehab or simply a “rehab near me” can rest assured that The Way Out Recovery SCV’s philosophy is to teach life-long coping skills and strategies to assist in improving quality of life and living happily and meaningfully without the need of destructive behaviors.

The Way Out Recovery SCV – Santa Clarita

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DihU7HoNVA

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