11/06/2023
Naloxone in schools saves lives: It's rare for Nevada to lead in public health matters, but since 2021, Nevada schools have had naloxone on their campuses, thanks to AB205 (82nd session, 2021). The concept of naloxone in schools was initially proposed as an amendment in 2017 and later as a bill (AB340) in 2019 by former Nevada Assembly Speaker John Hambrick. Although the bill failed, it returned and passed in 2021 as AB205.
Enabling naloxone in schools in Nevada is attributed to the determination of legislative champions like Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen and the technical expertise and support provided by Group Six Partners.
Death is the ultimate obstacle to recovery and prioritizing saving lives over denial and pre-judgment of the risks posed by Illicitly Manufactured Fentanyl (IMF) to our community is crucial. We know young people are alive today because of the swift response from school personnel.
It is encouraging to see the federal government catching up, and we echo the sentiments of the U.S. Secretary of Education and the White House ONDCP:
"There is no time to waste when responding to an overdose, and it is critical that youth and school personnel can access naloxone on school grounds during and after school.”
We must continue our diligence and the more we talk frankly about the deadly opioid epidemic - we can overcome stigma by continuing to face the facts of the deadly opioid epidemic.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Letter-to-Schools.pdf
