While the opioid crisis looms over the United States, solutions that minimize the dangers of substance use have come to fruition. Narcan, a life-saving solution, is easily accessible to students, creating a safer campus and reducing stigmas surrounding substance use in college.
Narcan is a form of Naloxone in an over-the-counter nasal spray and injectable that quickly reverses the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Symptoms of an opioid overdose such as a faint heartbeat or slow and shallow breathing can become life-threatening without a reversal agent. However, administering Narcan can restore breathing and reverse harmful effects for 30 to 90 minutes – creating time for emergency care to arrive.
Narcan can only save lives if students have it when they need it.
Ohio University well-equips students with access to harm-reduction resources, including Narcan. Five locations on campus store Narcan for emergencies, but students can also request to obtain their own through the Office of Health Promotion.
The request and shipment are free to the student, and its light, compact nature makes it easy to carry. Because there is essentially no burden, every student should have it on them as substance use disorders disproportionately affect Appalachia.
In 2021, overdose-related deaths among individuals aged 25–54 were 72% higher in the region compared to the rest of the nation, according to the Appalachian Regional Commission.
As a part of Appalachia, OU students and the surrounding community in Athens are vulnerable to substance use disorders – posing the threat of substances being laced with fentanyl.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) continued to rise with 73,838 overdose deaths reported in 2022.”
Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is cheap and able to be hidden in substances in such small amounts due to its deadly nature. And no substance is completely safe.
“Fentanyl has been found in pretty much every drug that there is at this point, like Adderall, cocaine, sometimes even marijuana,” Rebecca Miller, senior director of community relations in the College of Health Sciences and Professions wrote for OHIO Today.
College is a time when students experiment with substances. In 2019, the National Library of Medicine conducted a study showing that, out of 1,235 college students, 20% were exposed to an opportunity to use cocaine in the past year. It also noted marijuana and unprescribed Adderall use among students.
Recreational use and substance use disorders shouldn’t be shamed; however, the dangers of fentanyl are too ever-present to be unprepared before usage. Having preventive measures readily available can also reduce stigmas surrounding substance use.
Just as students safeguard their friends’ drinks at bars and make sure nobody walks home alone, standards should be talked about surrounding substance use.
Establishing a designated individual to watch for the signs of an overdose and having Narcan readily available moves substance use away from being a taboo topic, ensuring a safe environment for those using without judgment
On OU’s tight-knit campus, students should look out for one another. Carrying Narcan in a bookbag or a purse can save lives and reduce stigma, creating a safer campus and community for everyone.
Layne Rey is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Layne know by tweeting her @laynerey12.
