Free Narcan Machine Installed in Benson Basement
Implemented after student advocacy for the life-saving treatment
A brand-new vending machine, draped in streamers and highlighted with heart-shaped metallic balloons, sits empty in the basement of the Benson Memorial Center.
Santa Clara was one of the first universities in the state to install a Narcan (naloxone) vending machine, providing students with two-packs of naloxone nasal spray at no cost. The machine became operational on Tuesday, May 9, spurred by a Public Health Science Capstone project, and was quickly out of stock due to students’ high demand for the opiate reversal drug.
“This has been in the works for a very long time, trying to get administration on board with it,” said senior Valery Marin-Revolorio, who helped to promote the machine after its installation. “The Capstone students are helping spread awareness about the fact that it’s here.”
The implementation was announced in a campus-wide email by Vice Provost for Student Life Jeanne Rosenberger and Jamie Chang, an assistant professor in Public Health, to help educate the campus community about the opioid epidemic.
This installation of the Narcan vending machine sends an important message that our campus is taking a proactive stance in addressing the opioid epidemic. It is a tangible way for us to demonstrate our commitment to the health and safety of our students.
Naloxone is a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose by attaching to the opioid receptors in the nervous system and blocking the effects of the substance. The medication is safe, easy to use and can be administered by those without a formal medical certification.
“The availability of naloxone is an important intervention–even for students who expect to never use opioids,” the email stated. “Among other things, it is an important reminder that substance use must be taken seriously and that there are tools to help.”
In Santa Clara County, opioid-related overdose deaths are the most common among 20-24 year olds, according to 2021 statistics from the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard. These numbers place additional pressure on the university to promote drug abuse awareness for its students.
Santa Clara made this decision in response to the Campus Opioid Safety Act passed by the California Department of Public Health at the beginning of the year. The act requires California public colleges to distribute free Narcan and provide training during campus orientations. Collaboration between Santa Clara County health organizations, the Division of Student Life, the Santa Clara Department of Public Health and the Wellness Center was integral for establishing the resource on campus.
“Prior to the vending machine, we partnered with the Santa Clara County Opioid Overdose Prevention Project for years,” said Deepa Arora, the senior director of communications and media relations. “That relationship and trust was the foundation for bringing the [vending machine] to campus.”
Students can access the vending machine in the Benson basement, which is open from 7 A.M. to 1 A.M. on weekdays and from 8 A.M. to 1 A.M. on the weekends. The machine dispenses a kit containing the nasal spray and instructions on how to recognize a person undergoing an overdose, including how a bystander should administer the spray and call 911. A training video on how to administer Narcan by the California Department of Public Health is available through a QR code on the machine.
Marin-Revolorio believes that naloxone should be carried by everyone at all times in anticipation of a dire situation.
“Lots of people have come and shared their stories about people they know have passed because they didn’t have [naloxone] accessible to them,” said Marin-Revolorio. “Everyone should keep it on them or keep it somewhere they know they can have it.”