CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that a naloxone box is in each residence hall. They are in each residential neighborhood common area. Elon News Network regrets this error.
This semester, naloxone boxes were placed around campus in each residential neighborhood common area across campus. Narcan, the brand name for the drug naloxone, was placed in what’s called one boxes as a preventative measure in case any student overdoses from fentanyl or opioids. But, in the last 10 years there have been two suspected situations where naloxone was used — one off campus, one on campus — Joe LeMire, chief of Campus Police, said.
Naloxone is a life saving drug that blocks the effects of opiates on the brain and restores breathing. In addition to administering the drug to someone in an emergency situation, a student should also be sure to call emergency services, Jana Lynn Patterson, dean of students, said. Currently, Campus Police, Elon Police and Emergency Medical Services have a response time on average of less than five minutes across campus.
The naloxone placed around campus is in the form of a nasal spray and the box will begin giving instructions once opened. While there has been and will continue to be some training for how to use these boxes, Patterson said, the instructions should allow anyone to be able to use them in an emergency. There have been no opioid related deaths on campus, apart from one suspected death of a student who lived off campus six years ago, Patterson said.
But, in North Carolina overall, more than 36,000 residents have died due to drug overdose between 2000-22 — and overdose deaths in 2021 increased 22%, according to data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
“Narcan is a good thing in society,” LeMire said. “The availability of it, because I think it does reduce harm but the harm reduction strategy here is to have Narcan in places on campus is not because we had a problem. Sometimes being proactive instead of reactive can be a positive.”
Part of the reason for this proactive approach is because college-aged students are consuming drugs at a higher rate — and they may be laced with something, according to Callie Kelly, assistant director of Campus Recreation and Wellness who specializes in substance use prevention.
People aged 18 to 25 have the highest likelihood of using illicit drugs at 38%, according to data from a 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This is a problem because students might be ingesting a drug without their knowledge, Kelly said.
“We wanted them to make the most informed decisions,” Kelly said. “But, I think ignoring the fact that college students are using substances we're doing more harm because we're not providing them with the necessary tools and resources that they need to navigate the college environment.”
Prior to this semester, Campus Police still carried naloxone and will continue to do so. After a class did a project last year working on harm reduction strategies, Patterson organized the Opioid Harm Reduction Committee. SGA legislation funded $5,000 for the naloxone boxes, as well as creating educational resources for students.
SGA became interested in this project after looking at other schools who had implemented naloxone on campus as well, Amanda Jacobson, executive vice president, said. Patterson also said students have been talking more about naloxone and following overdoses at other schools, including one at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 2023.
“There were some pretty public opioid deaths in some colleges and universities in the country,” Patterson said. “That began to get them to think.”
Kelly said she feels college students are more susceptible to an unintentional overdose and therefore Elon taking steps to reduce harm before it becomes an issue is a good idea.
“These are tragic stories,” Kelly said. “I applaud Elon for taking a proactive stance. We don't want to see students needlessly die, because of something like this.”
One of the first things Jacobson said she realized in this process was the lack of knowledge students had on naloxone and that some students are not familiar with what naloxone is.
“It's really important to just spread the word,” Jacobson said. “Not only are we going to now be providing the boxes that have all of the instructions in the resident halls, but also Narcan is now an over the counter drug that you can just go to any CVS or Walgreens, and just pick that up so you can have that in your dorm, in your house, as something just to have nearby in case of that emergency.”
The boxes will be checked every week to see if the seal is broken and every month to make sure the box is still intact and charged, Patterson said.
The boxes on campus once the seal is broken and box is opened, will provide an auditory 90 second training.
As the new year is beginning, Elon is working to train students on how to use the boxes and where they can be found. Training has been incorporated into orientation events for freshmen, resident advisers have been asked to share information with their students, and Patterson said she plans to give a presentation to SGA later this semester. SPARKS Peer Educator later on in the semester will be creating customized training for students, faculty and staff, Kelly said.
“We're in the process of making folks aware of the boxes,” Patterson said. “Where the boxes are.”
As the semester progresses, Patterson said her office will be monitoring the use of the one boxes and wants to make sure students also understand that these are not toys and should be used for its intended purpose only. But, students should also not be afraid to use them.
“We also want students to understand that there's no stigma and there's no negative outcome for them using it from as far as any conduct or legal ramifications,” Patterson said. “Now we're going to talk to you, make sure you're OK, and see what other kind of support you might need, but there's not any conduct associated with that.”
Patterson said it’s important for students to know about the medical safety policy in the student handbook that says students who call for help in an emergency system won’t be held accountable to the student code of conduct, if they themselves are using an illegal substance.
“If they're the ones calling, they're not going to get in trouble,” Patterson said. “If they're intoxicated or they've been using alcohol, or they've been using things — we really want folks to call for help and to use the health resources that they have.”
Jacobson said even without having a history of overdoses or administering naloxone on campus, it is worth naloxone at Elon.
“It would be lovely if we put these boxes up and they are never used,” Jacobson said. “That would be a perfect world. But unfortunately, anything could happen.”