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UNIVERSITY TRAINS STUDENTS HOW TO REVERSE OPIOD OVERDOSES
Atlanta Jewish Times\
The training sessions 鈥� taught by peer education coordinator and trainer for the CYAAR Lindsay Montgomery 鈥� give students the opportunity to learn how to spot the warning signs of an opioid overdose, what steps to take when they see someone who might be suffering from an overdose, how Georgia鈥檚 medical amnesty law works, what naloxone is and how to administer it.
鈥淐ollege-aged young adults are one of the demographic groups most heavily affected by the opioid crisis,鈥� Montgomery said. 鈥淏y training and equipping our students with naloxone, we are preparing them for any situations that may arise in their peer groups or with acquaintances.鈥�
While naloxone is often referred to as an antidote, Montgomery stressed that because
the drug is temporary, people must always call authorities first when someone is suffering
from an overdose. The effects of naloxone only last 30-90 minutes, so even if a person
receives the drug, he or she will still need medical attention.
鈥満诹贤� Police and Public Safety are trained and equipped with naloxone kits,鈥� Montgomery said. 鈥淚n the event of a suspected overdose on campus, 911 or Kennesaw State鈥檚 emergency line should be called first. RAs are also equipped with naloxone kits in the dorms.鈥�
The CYAAR has trained faculty and staff members in how to use naloxone over the years,
and about three years ago, KSU police became the first university police department
in Georgia to start carrying naloxone with them on campus.
According to Georgia Overdose Prevention, only two other Georgia college police departments carry naloxone 鈥� the University of North Georgia and The University of Georgia.
After the most recent training session on Oct. 4, Montgomery provided students with a certification card and a pocket-sized naloxone kit containing a pair of gloves, a nasal spray with two readily available doses of naloxone, a list of the seven steps to take in the event of an overdose and a card with Montgomery鈥檚 contact information.
The Center receives the naloxone at an affordable cost, making it easy for them to
provide free kits to students that want them.
Opioid addiction has continually risen in the United States and Georgia in recent
years. The number of deaths in the U.S. from overdoses involving opioids, including
prescription pain pills, heroin and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, has more than
quadrupled between 1999 to 2015, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Opioid overdoses also accounted for around 63 percent of the 33,091 drug overdose
deaths in the U.S. in 2015.
Teresa Johnston, the executive director of the CYAAR, stressed that Georgia is among
the top-11 states with the most prescription opioid overdoses. Although the number
of KSU students that have sought help for opioid addiction is low, the number of students
in recovery from an opioid addiction has grown substantially, she said.
The center will hold training sessions on both the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses
through Dec. 5 to give any student who wants to learn how to administer naloxone and
have a kit the chance to come.
鈥淚t is important to remember that the primary function of naloxone is to save a life,鈥� Montgomery said. 鈥淲hether the person at risk has an opioid dependence or is a first-time user, loss of life is simply unacceptable. If we can prevent an overdose death, we can provide an opportunity for recovery.鈥�
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