A mother who recently went public with her daughter’s prescription-pill death took her case to the Nova Scotia legislature today.

“She didn’t receive any education,” says Dale Jollota of her daughter. “My two kids in Grade 8 have not received any education on prescription drugs, and my child in Grade 6 has not received any education about prescription drugs.”

Jollota says she found her 15-year-old daughter Olivia slumped over and unresponsive about a year ago.

She later learned that Olivia and a friend had inhaled half the contents of two hydromorphone capsules, or dilaudid.

An autopsy confirmed Olivia – a Grade 9 honours student – had died from accidental hydromorphone intoxication.

“I want people to understand that you do not need to mix this with alcohol,” says Jollota. “Olivia did not mix this with alcohol. All she had was that drug in her system.”

Jollota is calling for better education about the dangers of prescription drugs and the Opposition Liberals have joined her fight.

Liberal MLA Leo Glavine agrees that students need better education and sooner.

“We have lost young people that didn’t have information,” he says. “There should be a dedicated program starting in September 2013. We will continue to ask for that.”

But Nova Scotia Education Minister Ramona Jennex says students are already being taught about prescription drugs.

“It is incorporated in our curriculum right from primary, teaching children about prescription drugs not being candy,” said Jennex in the Nova Scotia legislature.

She says the curriculum around the dangers of prescription drugs starts in Grade 9, based on best practice advice.

“The prescription drug use continues to change, the drugs continue to change,” she continued.

She also said government is working to update the changes in the drugs being used, but Jollota says they aren’t working quickly enough.

“They’re not updating it quick enough, obviously. There’s no excuse for this.”

Jollota says she was disappointed by the exchange in the house today and would like to see the curriculum start in Grade 7.

She also says she would like to meet with Jennex to map out concrete change.

“Getting new curriculum into the schools and getting changes brought about so our kids can be safe, so they can be educated.”

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jacqueline Foster