BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Fentanyl use and overdoses nationwide spiked with Kern County seeing over 250 fentanyl-related overdose deaths in 2022. One Bakersfield mom felt the impacts of the drug on her own daughter’s life.
Marian Meighan says her relationship with her daughter Rachel was like every other parent-child relationship, challenging times with a rebellious teenager but full of love. Rachel dealt with 20 years of addiction beginning in high school.
“I mean I had to lay down the rules and she would break them,” said Marian. “And a lot of the times you’re not aware, and she could act like she was okay.”
Meighan says her worst fear came with the uncertainty of her daughter’s condition saying her daughter began using fentanyl toward the end of her addiction.
“During the time that she was out on the streets and doing whatever she was doing and I never knew if I was going to get the call, you know that she’s overdosed, and that’s the biggest fear that you’re going to lose your child.”
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At the time, Meighan thought talking would help solve the problem but she says she knows now an addict must be ready to change on their own.
“I don’t think you can scare a teenager, especially one that’s using, and I don’t think you can scare an addict or an alcoholic.”
Meighan says when her daughter attended Bakersfield High School there weren’t any resources for teens in need of rehab. Those resources are now available in the Kern High School District with group sessions for students struggling with substance abuse and education on the risks of using.
“When we are helping kids that struggle with addiction and they’re reaching back out, and they’re saying, ‘I’m no longer smoking. I’m no longer doing drugs. Hey, I’m going to college now.’ I mean that’s a great feeling to know you were able to help someone,” said Ben Amey, lead substance abuse specialist for KHSD.
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Amey adds at first students may resist help from their counselors but after working with students over time he sees real transformation in the program. And with the help of CBD medication, Meighan says her daughter has been clean, living at home with her family again, and helping to care for her disabled father.
“She’s a mother to her daughter again. Very active in everything that she does and so I’m really really thankful that I didn’t ever get that call.”
Amey and Meighan advise parents to stay involved with their kids and check their phones to prevent substance abuse in their lives.
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