One pill, one spray, and a life can be renewed. In Marin County, fentanyl has been the most prevalent substance relating to overdose deaths, according to the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. As stated by the County of Marin News Release from January 9, 2023, overdoses and drug poisoning have doubled over the past three years, as there is an average of one fatal drug overdose a week and two non-fatal overdoses per day. In 2014, when state legislation was passed, Naloxone (Narcan) became an FDA-approved medication that has the ability to reverse opioid overdoses.
Narcan is a nasal spray that works quickly and has the ability to save a life in two to three minutes. Around Marin, Narcan training is provided by non-profit organizations, as well as a video that can be found on the OTC Narcan website. Narcan is a medication that can be consumed even if there are no opioids found in someone’s system, ensuring that there will be no harmful side effects no matter the circumstance.
OD Free Marin, a local organization, strives to provide Narcan supply, overdose prevention resources, personal stories, and educate the community about substances and the fentanyl crisis. Senior coordinator Anita Renzetti has been working for this organization for two and a half years and has helped coordinate events and new resources that are open to the community. Renzetti emphasizes, “We give out a ton of Narcan through OD Free Marin, including the Behavioral Health program. They have set up five vending machines and will soon have seven free vending machines here in Marin County.” This allows for easier access to Narcan for Marin residents. On the OD Free Marins website, the data collected states that there have been 6,657 narcan kits distributed since the beginning of 2021. This organization will continue to pursue great efforts towards creating change within the community, as they also include youth involvement. They collaborate with youth action teams, Find Your Way, Let’s Talk, and the Marin County Youth Commission.
The Marin County Youth Commission established subcommittees, and one of them includes Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD). ATOD has worked within Marin County to provide Narcan training, educate the community, and even distribute Narcan boxes. Cole Greene, a junior at Terra Linda High School, is the chair of ATOD and is in his second year serving on the commission. During his time on the commission, he has conducted two Narcan training sessions within Terra Linda classrooms. Outside of TL, the subcommittee has provided training at San Domenico High School, West Marin Middle School, the Marin Teen Girl Conference, and two training sessions for the commissioners. Through Narcan distributions and informing groups within the community, Greene states that “I believe everyone should have a hold of Narcan. It’s always best to be prepared, even if you yourself aren’t using drugs, because there may be others that are. There is also no harm in holding Narcan as it’s relatively small and can be life-saving.”
Marin County continues to provide these crucial services, as it is up to individuals to educate themselves as well as carry Narcan, which could save your life or someone else’s. Become involved, create change, and help prevent opioid overdoses.