New trend has Apache Junction college students bringing Narcan to campus

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

Apache Junction parents of children heading to college have been contacting drug-prevention coalition StandUp AJ for free kits of a naloxone nasal spray designed to reverse opioid overdoses.

“As far as naloxone, we’re getting more and more calls for this and this is so cool. Within like 48 hours I had two parents calling me, saying ‘I’m sending my kids to college and I want to send them with Narcan,’ and I’m like yes!” StandUp AJ Coalition Director Shelly Verley said during the nonprofit’s Aug. 27 meeting.

Narcan is a nasal spray that delivers naloxone and is designed to reverse opioid overdoses quickly.

“I don’t know who put that message out there but it worked because we got phone calls and people got Narcan in the hands of their kids going off to college, which I think is amazing,” Verley said.

It may be because of a recent social media trend showing parents with their college students packing Narcan as part of their first-aid kits.

Even the official Narcan TikTok account has a video posted in the last week of August. It can be viewed at https://www.tiktok.com/@narcanofficial/video/7543291919263108365.

StandUp AJ, 2066 W. Apache Trail No. 114 in Apache Junction, is a naloxone distribution site and also can provide training in how to administer it. Call 480-691-3532 for information. Leave a message with your contact information if there is no answer.

Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose. Naloxone has no effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system and it is not a treatment for an opioid use disorder. Examples of opioids include heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine and morphine, according to a FAQ sheet from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

StandUp AJ was formed in 2020 and replaced a drug-prevention coalition that started serving Apache Junction in 2008 and dissolved.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.