In the face of the deadliest epidemic in the history of the U.S., a local university is taking a step toward a local solution.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbot announced the state’s $10 million One Pill Kills campaign in April, which included distributing Narcan to every county in the state. that’s considered exponentially more addictive than heroin, fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49. It can be fatal to ingest even a tiny amount, so small it could fit on a pencil eraser.
The event will include training about how to use the life-saving drug Narcan to reverse overdoses and a keynote speech by School of Public Health professor and nationally recognized opioid expert Dr. Scott Walters. It also will include a personal account by founder Jessica Castro about losing her son to an overdose, a digital reflection board where attendees can anonymously share their experiences with opioids and addiction, and more.