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Greene County public health warns of fentanyl-laced vape after youth hospitalized
Summary
Greene County’s director of public health told the Health Services Committee on June 4 that an out‑of‑state youth was hospitalized after using a vape later tested positive for fentanyl, prompting coordination with local schools and prevention partners.
Greene County’s director of public health told the Legislature’s Health Services Committee on June 4 that an out‑of‑state incident raised fresh concerns about youth vaping and the presence of illicit fentanyl in cartridge products. The director said a youth in Tompkins County, N.Y., became unconscious after using a purchased vape product; first responders administered naloxone and the cartridge later tested positive for fentanyl.
The issue matters because local officials cannot reliably know what is in the cartridges young people are using, Greene County’s public health director said. “We can’t be sure what our youth are doing with these products. We can’t tell what’s in them,” the director said at the meeting. The director added that Greene County public health is coordinating with school district superintendents and a regional coalition focused on vaping and substance use prevention to assess needs and share information.
Committee members asked whether the county had any confirmed local cases; the director said Greene County has no additional information and that county law enforcement likewise reported no local confirmed incidents. The director noted a superintendent had circulated a bulletin from Palm Beach County about the incident; in other words, the bulletin circulated locally was a re‑share of information originating elsewhere rather than a local test result.
Public health said it will survey districts about current programming, barriers and needs, and will work with Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and other funders to align prevention resources. Committee members and staff discussed existing tobacco‑prevention partners attending recent meetings and said the topic had generated meaningful local interest at outreach sessions.
The county did not announce any new countywide policy or directive at the June 4 meeting. Officials said they will continue coordination with superintendents and the regional coalition and will provide updates if new local cases or guidance emerge.
