Opelousas Police warns parents of new vape products
OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) -- The Opelousas Police Department is urging parents to be on alert as vape products continue to evolve and now come in the form of writing pens.
Joe Anderson, public information officer for the Opelousas Police Department, said the vape pens look like "normal everyday writing pens."
"They actually write, but they're actually vape cartridges where they can vape," he said.
With the vape pens being difficult to identify and users also able to fill these products themselves, Anderson said there is an added risk to using these products.
"These cartridges, though, sometimes are just nicotine that can be ordered from other countries, other places they may be laced with fentanyl," he said.
Cases like this have already been seen. Anderson said a 12-year-old girl in Georgia almost lost her life by using one of these pens that contained both THC and Fentanyl.
With the health of children at risk, Anderson says the police department would like to see a proactive approach to preventing these products from getting into the hands of the youth.
"However you govern your house is how you govern your house. But many a times, you know there's nothing wrong with going in your children's room and looking," Anderson said.
"There might be mail they're getting. That's them ordering these vape cartridges and other pills and stuff from overseas. They come in plain white packages. So, kind of open up your children's mail, be parents and parents your children, and we want them to be safe this school year," he continued.