ATLANTA — Atlanta is getting a wake-up call from a new national survey that suggests many young teens are seriously underestimating the danger of fentanyl. More than half of eighth-graders, along with roughly three in ten high school seniors, told researchers they do not see a “great risk” in trying fentanyl once or twice. The findings, released July 7, 2026, land at a time when fentanyl continues to drive a large share of overdose deaths across the United States.
The analysis, based on responses from the 2025 Monitoring the Future survey, was published July 7 in JAMA Network Open. Researchers found that 52% of eighth-grade respondents did not attribute “great risk” to experimental fentanyl use, while about 30% of 12th-graders said the same. The authors say the survey data flag younger teens as a priority group for prevention and note that many students reported limited familiarity with fentanyl. The survey itself is part of the long-running Monitoring the Future project.
Nationwide overdose toll
Provisional counts from the National Center for Health Statistics point to an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in 2023, with about 74,702 involving synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to NCHS at the CDC. Against that backdrop, researchers say teens who brush off the danger of a single pill or one-time experiment could be especially vulnerable.
Georgia's adolescent spike
In Georgia, state data sharpen the picture for Atlanta families. The Georgia Department of Public Health's Drug Surveillance Unit has documented steep increases in fentanyl-involved deaths among adolescents between 2019 and 2021 and reports that fentanyl now accounts for a large share of teen overdose fatalities across the state. Those trends leave Atlanta parents and schools facing a higher baseline risk even as overall adult overdose counts have shown signs of leveling.
Researchers urge targeted outreach
“Clinicians, parents, schools, and public education programs all have important roles in communicating the potentially life-threatening risks of fentanyl misuse to adolescents,” the JAMA study notes, adding that younger students were more likely to report not knowing what fentanyl is. The authors suggest that middle-school-focused messaging, along with clearer information on counterfeit pills and social media markets, could be key pieces of prevention.
Public health officials recommend practical steps families can take right now: talk early and often about the dangers of counterfeit pills, lock up prescriptions at home, and keep naloxone on hand. For background and local resources, see the CDC fentanyl awareness toolkit and the Georgia Department of Public Health Drug Surveillance Unit.
