Teen drug overdose numbers have been on the rise since 2019, with the numbers peaking in May of 2021. Addiction researcher Joseph Friedman says this is the first time in recorded history that the teen drug death rate has seen an exponential rise, saying it is due to drug use becoming not more common, but more dangerous.

“The increases are almost entirely due to illicit fentanyl products which are found in counterfeit pills that are spreading across the nation,” Friedman said. “Teens are not realizing just how dangerous they are.”

Jake Frazier, senior, is the creator of the drug drop-off event. Frazier started the drop-off as a junior and has organized several with the help of the West Linn Police Department, the city, and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC).

“You kind of get sick of seeing a headline saying ’16-year-old found dead in their school bathroom,’ because of [an] overdose,” Frazier said. 

Frazier first brought his idea for a place to safely dispose of drugs to Danielle Choi, the community relations coordinator for the city of West Linn, and then to the YAC. YAC was created in 2016 and is an organization that gives teens the opportunity to voice their opinions and ideas when it comes to the city. Frazier is a member of YAC. Choi referred Frazier to police chief Peter Mahuna. Frazier then pitched the idea of the drop-off to Mahuna who agreed to the proposal. The next thing they did was work out the logistics and brainstorm a way to make the drop-off work safely and efficiently. 

The next step was to plan the event. The goal of the event is to, as a community, help those who are trying to quit drug usage and prevent overdoses in our schools. 

“It’s an event where people can dispose of any over-the-counter drugs, narcotics, Juul pods, and other illicit substances,” Frazier said. “Fentanyl is one of the big ones we hope to prevent from spreading. It’s the idea of being able to get rid of it and say, you know, I want to quit, and not being penalized for it, it’s a no judgment event.”

The drop-off aims to be as convenient as possible. Everybody has the choice to be discreet and it is entirely confidential.

“We don’t ask your name, you drive up, we come to your car and you hand us whatever you have, then we safely dispose of it,” Frazier said. “The drop-off is completely confidential and the goal is not to bust people, but to get the drugs off the street, out of schools, and essentially save lives.”

The drug drop-off event happens a few times a year. Frazier and YAC are planning on holding another drop-off sometime around late March or early April at the Willamette Christian Church. 

“One of the biggest things that helped me make this dream come true was networking,” Frazier said. “What matters is who you know, [and] I got really lucky. I knew Choi, and councilmen at the time, now [interim] mayor Rory Bialostosky.”