The White House has issued a resounding call to action for educational institutions across the United States, urging them to both stock the life-saving emergency overdose reversal drug, naloxone, and equip their students and faculty with the knowledge and skills necessary for its administration.
In a communique jointly penned by the U.S. Department of Education and the White House’s National Drug Control Policy Office, obtained initially by Axios, schools are implored to “focus on measures to forestall youth drug usage and to ensure that every educational establishment is equipped with naloxone while also readying their students and staff to employ it.”
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Rahul Gupta, Director of the National Drug Control Policy Office, conveyed the message, underlining that educational institutions are at the forefront of the opioid epidemic, and that the tools required to save lives should be readily accessible.
This directive is set to reach every state education agency, intergovernmental organizations, and local, state, and national education associations, Axios reported. The urgency of the situation is underscored by the fact that overdose fatalities among adolescents doubled from 2019 to 2020 and continue to rise, even though youth drug use rates have remained constant. The danger lies in the fact that teenagers can easily access substances through digital means, which they believe to be opioid pain medications or prescription stimulants, only to find out too late that these contain lethal substances like fentanyl.
Shockingly, a recent study revealed that two-thirds of adolescent drug poisoning deaths occurred with potential bystanders nearby, yet naloxone was frequently not administered. Overdose deaths among persons aged 14–18 increased by 94% from 2019 to 2020 and by 20% from 2020 to 2021. The study also reported a 109% rise in monthly overdose deaths among individuals aged 10 to 19 between July–December 2019 and July–December 2021.
Naloxone, an FDA-approved medication, acts swiftly to reverse opioid overdoses caused by substances like heroin, oxycodone, morphine, or fentanyl. However, it is emphasized that immediate medical attention should always be sought after naloxone administration. Notably, studies have demonstrated that naloxone access can reduce overdose death rates, does not lead to increased youth drug use, and is safe to administer even in cases where an overdose is not opioid-related. Good Samaritan Laws in most states protect those who aid at the scene of an overdose.
In March, a significant development occurred when the FDA allowed the over-the-counter sale of Narcan, a brand of naloxone, making it the first opioid reversal drug available without a prescription. Recent reports reveal that schools across the nation have started to stock Narcan and have also permitted students to carry their own supply of this life-saving medication.
Furthermore, various regions and school systems, such as those in Iowa, Washington D.C., New York City, and Fresno, California, have been proactive in adding naloxone to their medical emergency toolkits, thus fortifying their ability to address the opioid overdose crisis. This collective effort aims to protect and equip the most vulnerable members of our society and safeguard them against the opioid epidemic’s devastating consequences.