Bloomington, Indiana – Since January 10, a naloxone kit comprising 40 doses of naloxone nasal spray and numerous Fentanyl test strips have been available at the IU Student Health Center, according to Sarah Robertson, the university’s coordinator for substance use prevention.
The Student Health Center’s Door #1 vestibule houses the box, which is always free to use for members of the IU and Bloomington communities. No inquiries are asked of those who use the Naloxone box to remain anonymous.
She added anyone who needs to use the naloxone box can access it by opening the door and taking what they require from the box when they visit the Student Health Center. No identification is necessary.
According to Robertson, the Substance Use Intervention Office will keep an eye on the box and restock it as necessary each week.
A nasal spray called Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is used to treat opioid overdoses. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, unconsciousness, narrow pupils, and shallow breathing are typical signs of an opioid overdose.
Testing strips for fentanyl are used to find the very strong opioid in a variety of medications. About 85% of Indiana overdose deaths in 2021, according to a WFYI article, were brought on by fentanyl. Fentanyl is frequently added to medications without the user’s knowledge.
The purpose of making this information available, according to Robertson, is to aid with harm reduction initiatives within the IU community.
“If students or staff are experimenting or actively using substances, we want them to be safer while doing so,” Robertson said in an email. “It is better to have these items readily available and not need them than need them and not have them.”
