Young people are dying of opioid overdoses. Are students and campuses prepared?

Published August 12, 2024 at 9:05 AM EDT

The front room of Monica Vera Schubert holds a photo of her son Bobby Schubert. Schubert died of an opioid overdose in his dorm room at UCLA in April. His mother has turned her living room into the "Museum of Bobby."

Overdose death rates have spiked dramatically for young adults, rising 34 percent between 2018 and 2022, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Yet, there are ways to mitigate the risk of overdose, and even ways to reverse it.

Notably there's Narcan.

It's a brand of the medication naloxone, and it's often used in the form of nasal spray. If administered quickly, it can fully reverse an opioid overdose.

Are college campuses and their students prepared?

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