New naloxone cabinets on campus raise questions about how to use them
Overdose is an unfortunate risk for many students
By SAGE SMITH
Gwyn Crisp says that in a city like Vancouver struggling with a toxic drug crisis, anyone can come across a person having an overdose.
Crisp, a 26-year-old Langara student, said she has witnessed two overdoses and learned the importance of the life-saving drug naloxone.
She recounted finding a man “completely passed out” and running to a nearby business where staff happened to have naloxone and training on how to use it.
“We probably saved that guy’s life,” she said.
The overdose death of a University of Victoria student in January led the B.C. government to release guidelines in August recommending post-secondary institutions provide naloxone kits, awareness and training.
In response, Langara College installed nine naloxone cabinets throughout campus. As of yet, no awareness campaign, training events or signs have accompanied them.
While Langara’s health services offers small training sessions by appointment, the last naloxone training event advertised by the college was in January 2022.
Naloxone cabinets going unnoticed
Crisp hadn’t noticed the naloxone on campus and is disappointed that students haven’t been notified about their presence. She said she worries that without training, students will struggle to identify and respond to overdoses.
Crisp said the training is relatively easy and quick, and recommends that everyone take it “because you could save someone.”
Langara psychology student Abby Candfield also said the danger of overdoses touches her life on a regular basis as she has a family member struggling with substance abuse.
“You never know who could be a substance user. It could be the person sitting next to you in class,” she said.
Candfield also hadn’t noticed the naloxone kits on campus and share similar concerns about the lack of training offer to the Langara community.
“It’s something that can be very well hidden and you really never know when an overdose can happen. It could happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime,” Candfield said.
The college response
Adam Brayford, director of strategic communications and marketing at Langara, said in an email that the college plans to initiate an awareness campaign for employees and students, but he did not say when.
“This will include information to all new students and employees during orientations, ongoing messaging throughout the semester, and opportunities [to] learn how to use naloxone,” the email said.
Ruth Bruhn, a production manager at Studio 58, said that she is excited by the kits and is hoping to see training offered soon.
Bruhn said raising awareness about the kits is important as some students, especially those from abroad, may not know of the ongoing drug crisis in Vancouver.
“We are a school that invites people from around the world and we have to take that into account,” Bruhn said.
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