In July, Newfoundland and Labrador’s education minister and the provincial NDP leaders expressed support for measures aimed at preventing substance use among children and adolescents in schools. The proposals follow recommendations from a recent child death review, which called for mandatory, age-appropriate substance use education beginning in primary school.

Moreover, education minister Paul Dinn described the child’s death that prompted the review as heartbreaking. “I’ve come across many instances of that throughout, not just in this portfolio, but through the years. I come across those situations and they’re very, very troubling, very sad,” he said in his interview with CBC News.

Specifically, the recommendations include regulating social media use and expanding school-based substance use education as part of a broader strategy to prevent substance use among young people. The provincial NDP has supported the proposal to introduce substance use education in schools. “You really need to start the education early because they’re going to be exposed to it one way or the other. It’s better to give them the tools so that they don’t become victims,” said NDP leader Jim Dinn.

The review committee also recommended increasing the availability of naloxone kits in schools and equipping them with drug-testing strips to help identify substances. In addition, the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association told CBC News that changes must be made to fight substance abuse, but that teachers can’t do it alone. “Training needs to take place. It can’t just be, you know, one or two people in a building who are trained. Full staff need to be trained,” said president Dale Lambe. “The provision of naloxone kits is a positive thing. As educators we have to work with government to support that. But it can’t fall on teachers. Everything can’t be our responsibility.”

Moreover, Lambe noted that he hopes that the recommendation for children’s use of social media is adopted, and noted the younger generation find themselves “consumed” by what’s happening on social media platforms.

“We as a society, we need to do better. And once again, it needs to come from government. It needs to be all the agencies working together in order to ensure that we give them the equipment that they need to be contributing citizens,” he said.