Chris Schwarz/Government of AlbertaFrom Kevin Friese, Assistant Dean of Students, Health & Wellness.
Arjun Basahti’s opinion piece, “University Should Do More to Fight Fentanyl” draws attention to how the University of Alberta has responded to the fentanyl crisis and calls for greater action to fight this growing problem. While we have been working as a community to build a cohesive plan to fight fentanyl and keep our students, faculty, and staff safe, there is absolutely room for improvement.
The Office of the Dean of Students is rolling out its second fentanyl awareness campaign in November 2017 that will focus on not only fentanyl, but the party practices that surround the use of alcohol, opioids, and other substances. The ‘Party Smart’ strategy is designed to educate the campus community about smart party practices that are applicable to everyone, whether you choose to stay sober, drink alcohol, or use opioids and/or other drugs. By building on harm reduction work already happening on campus and providing accurate, nonjudgmental information about safe practices, alcohol, opioids, and signs of different types of overdoses, we hope to build a more informed, vigilant community.
Part of the ‘Party Smart’ campaign will educate about naloxone kits, reinforcing our message that if you or those around you are at risk of an opioid overdose, get a kit, learn how to use it, and carry it with you. In addition to the naloxone kits being carried by all U of A Protective Services officers and the U of A First Aid Responders student group, the University Health Centre and UHC Pharmacy offer free kits to all community members. Naloxone kits are also available at various walk-in clinics and pharmacies throughout the province, so if an individual is uncomfortable reaching out to our campus clinic and pharmacy, we encourage them to find a location using a searchable map. To date, the University Health Centre and UHC Pharmacy have distributed over two dozen kits, but we hope to see that number increase as people identify the risk of an opioid crisis for themselves or those around them.
The Office of the Dean of Students recognizes that our response to the fentanyl crisis will need to continually adapt to the changing needs and practices of the campus population, and we welcome any feedback and ideas on how to grow our response and keep the community safe.
The fentanyl crisis affects us all, and the more people that are invested in staying safe and keeping others safe, the more we can fight it together.
