California’s new Campus Opioid Safety Act goes into effect on January 1, 2023. Officials call it a bold measure that will save lives, providing fentanyl and addiction education, information, and Narcan, the FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal drug, on all college campuses in California.

What Is the Campus Opioid Safety Act?

The Act was recently passed in the state legislature to combat a series of disturbing opioid overdose incidents at college and high school campuses in California. Young people have increasingly been dying of opioid overdoses in California and across the US. In fact, since 2019, opioid overdose deaths have increased substantially for young people in California, 179% for youngsters 15 to 19 years old, and 91% for 20 to 24 years old, according to The California MAT Project. The majority of overdoses in the US, over 80%, involve fentanyl.

The Campus Opioid Safety Act requires colleges to have active drug prevention and education and stock the drug Narcan. Therefore, if it runs out of stock, the school will not have to bear the cost of replacing it.

Narcan on College Campuses for Fentanyl Overdoses

Senate Bill 367, also known as the Campus Opioid Safety Act, will require the government to work with public colleges to provide free-of-charge Naloxone and training for opioid overdose reversals. In addition, student orientations will include information on opioid overdose prevention, treatment for opioid addiction, and opioid reversal via Narcan for incoming first-year students.

“Many overdose deaths can be prevented with Naloxone, a life-saving drug that’s available to many colleges and universities at no cost,” said State Public Health Officer and CDPH Director Tomas Aragon about the initiative “Some colleges already make Naloxone and overdose education a top priority, and our goal is to continue supporting them while also breaking additional barriers and stigma that may be preventing us from talking about overdose and keeping students alive.”

More Fentanyl-Related Measures Needed for Public Health

More measures are needed to slow the opioid overdose crisis caused by fentanyl. While millions of pills have been seized by the DEA in the past year – more than enough to kill everyone in the country – it’s clear that the cartels are not deterred from smuggling it.

Teens and young people are one of the fastest-growing segments of overdoses in the drug-using community. Unfortunately, many young people are unaware of fentanyl’s prevalence or the dangers of fentanyl. Because of this, they are more apt to dismiss fears of overdose. Yet fentanyl could be in any pills; talking to young people is essential.

People who use drugs don’t want to die from them. Often, they’re ordering a pill online because they are bored or going through something and seeking a way to cope. Helping young people learn better coping skills and giving them access to tools like therapy and treatment are also important ways to prevent overdoses. A person who doesn’t use drugs will never accidentally overdose on them.