iJAG students organize public training to save lives of overdose victims

Mar. 4—Clinton High School students in the iJAG program Kaylee Greene, Liberty Muhly, and Austin Smith organized training for the public on the use of Narcan held Friday at the Area Substance Abuse Council building on 20th Avenue North.

Naloxone, or "Narcan," was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 2023 and is currently provided for distribution in the state of Iowa free of charge and without a prescription through the Naloxone Iowa program.

An opioid antagonist, it is used in either a nasal spray or injectable form that can be given to individuals of any age to reverse the effects of opioids in the event of an overdose by blocking opioid receptor sites within the body.

The Centers for Disease Control reported that Narcan has effectively saved nearly 27,000 lives.

"To say that this is an issue is an understatement," Tristan Blakley, who shared his story of surviving an overdose in 2017, said. "I've been to more funerals than I have weddings."

Blakley has since stopped using illicit drugs and is now a Whiteside County first responder.

The iJAG students had organized the training as part of the program's "Lifting Our Voices for Equity," or L.O.V.E., project in which they were asked to make a positive impact on an identified challenge that exists in the community.

Effective in treating opioid overdoses, Narcan can be used to treat overdoses involving fentanyl as well, though a higher dosage of Narcan in this instance may be required.

The Iowa Department of Public Health states that someone suspected of experiencing an opioid overdose may be unresponsive and have slow, shallow, or stopped breathing. The individuals' skin and lips may turn blue or gray.

Iowa's Good Samaritan Law generally protects individuals who seek medical assistance for the victim of an overdose, remain at the scene with the victim until help arrives, and cooperate with emergency personnel or law enforcement. Witnesses of an overdose are encouraged by the law to stay with the victim instead of leaving out of the fear of being arrested or prosecuted for possession of controlled substances or drug paraphernalia.

"We've had people just dropped in the alley," CSAC Director Kristin Huisenga said. "No idea where they came from."

Huisenga explained how to administer Narcan as a nasal spray with two to three minutes given in between doses as well as the disposal of expired doses in medication drop boxes located outside of local pharmacies.

"Narcan can save someone's life," Blakley said. "It's not going to save their life forever. They've got to stop using."

For more information or to find locations where Narcan is distributed, visit NaloxoneIowa.org.