No students showed up to the Narcan training event on March 11 intended to inform students on the nasal spray used to reverse opioid overdoses, how and why it works when using it on someone who has overdosed.
Narcan training is an important skill in learning to increase community safety by allowing people to quickly take action in a state of an emergency.
Event host Gabriel Paz from the Helping Youth Counseling organization came prepared to give students information and provide resources in navigating opioid overdose, only to be let down when he saw no students at the event.
Fentanyl deaths in California have tripled in the past years, there are now over a thousand deaths a year due to fentanyl overdose.
“I was expecting to see some students attend, Narcan training is important for students to learn due to rising deaths in opioid overdoses,” Paz said.
Informational training events on Narcan usage are important because of the current fentanyl epidemic, fentanyl use is at an all time high and has a large impact on young adults.
“These events are not being promoted well enough, which causes students to not come,” Paz said.
The promotion and lack of advertising for Narcan informational events is an ongoing issue, there is little to no advertising on campus.
Promotional flyers for the training event are posted around the campus, however the flyers are not captivating and only list the dates of the events but not much else information.
Paz talked about wanting to form more informational booths that provide resources on Narcan and the events being held.
Paz mentioned these booths being in the quad to raise awareness and provide students with information on the events and how they can learn about Narcan.
“This is not the first time students haven’t attended,” Paz said.
These events have been held three times so far this semester, with only a handful of students attending.
Students have expressed not being interested in these events, and when organizers have talked to students about attending they often decline.
Paz spoke about wanting to add more promotion around campus advertising for these events being held to encourage students to attend.
“I was never aware of this event on campus, if there were more resources and information it would definitely be something I’d check out,” LBCC student Chellan Mier said.
More advertising around campus may entice students to come check out the event, and see what it’s about.
Student Affairs Dean Deborah Miller wants to improve the acknowledgment of events on campus.
“These events are important for students, adding welcome signs and other decor is something we will definitely add moving forward,” Miller said.
According to Paz, students attending the event receive a certificate for participating in a Narcan training event and having this certificate can be beneficial for students majoring in the medical field.