Ohio to expand overdose reversal supplies and test strips to more college campuses
College students in Ohio will have more access to drugs that prevent opioid overdoses on campus.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently announced an expanded partnership between RecoveryOhio and the Ohio Departments of High Education, Mental Health and Addiction Services and Health to provide emergency Naxalone access cabinets for installation on independent colleges and universities.
Initially, these services were only available to public schools.
Naxalone, when administered during an opioid overdose (from heroin, fentanyl, or prescription pain medications), blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and quickly restores breathing, according to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
This expansion also includes fentanyl test strips for campuses that request them.
"Expanding access to these valuable, lifesaving tools allows every life saved another opportunity to experience recovery," said Governor DeWine. "Protecting students from potentially deadly drug overdoses is an important part of our commitment to safer college and university campuses."
The Ohio Department of Health reports that 2022 preliminary figures indicate that 81% of drug overdose deaths in Ohio involved fentanyl.
This is a voluntary program. It is recommended that each institution that receives an emergency access cabinet create a policy establishing how often each box shall be reviewed and restocked, with attention paid to the expiration dates of the product.
Institutions of higher education will be receiving information about how to order emergency access cabinets and fentanyl test strips. Ohioans can order naloxone and fentanyl test strips to be delivered to their homes through the website naloxone.ohio.gov.
