PHOENIX, AZ — Arizona schools are now receiving Narcan, the life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug, as part of a statewide effort to combat the opioid crisis among youth. The Arizona Department of Education is distributing these kits through the School Training Overdose Preparedness and Intelligence Taskforce (STOP IT), with the Arizona National Guard delivering 4,000 of the 16,000 Narcan kits initially requested by schools.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne underscored the importance of Narcan’s presence on school campuses, noting that it could save lives even though no overdose deaths on campus have been reported. “If somebody has an overdose and is in school, Narcan will save their life. We want to ensure this is in every school,” Horne said.
STOP IT Program Aims to Educate and Equip Schools
STOP IT co-chair Holly Geyer, an addiction medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, emphasized the urgency of the initiative. “Arizona has about 4,000 overdoses a year, with a significant number among children,” Geyer said, highlighting that 80 Arizona children lost their lives to overdoses between 2021 and 2022. She described Narcan (Naloxone) as a powerful tool with no addiction potential that offers a second chance to those at risk.
The STOP IT campaign will also introduce educational programs in January, providing schools with policies, procedures, and standardized training platforms. These resources will educate students about opioids, how to respond to an overdose, and the importance of Narcan in emergency situations.
While laws allow Narcan’s use in schools, Horne noted that management of Naloxone remains inconsistent across the state. Schools interested in obtaining Narcan kits can submit requests online through the Arizona Department of Health Services.
