U of A Offers Students Free Narcan Training March 30

The U of A invites students to take part in free opioid overdose response training Monday, March 30, as part of the One Pill Can Kill initiative.

Hosted in partnership with the Arkansas Attorney General's Office, the training will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Arkansas Union Verizon Ballroom. Dinner will be provided, and all attendees will receive a free Fentanyl Harm Prevention Kit.

Registration is available through the HogSync Registration Link.

The training is designed to equip the campus community with practical lifesaving skills. It will cover how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and how to respond by administering Narcan. No medical experience is necessary.

Organizers say the goal is simple: empower students to be prepared to protect friends, roommates, classmates and colleagues in an emergency. Participants will also gain valuable public health knowledge that can strengthen leadership experience and enhance resumes.

The One Pill Can Kill initiative, launched by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, is a college-focused effort to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, a highly addictive synthetic opioid that can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Counterfeit pills made to resemble common prescription medications are increasingly being found to contain fentanyl, according to the Attorney General's office, with seven out of 10 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills containing a potentially lethal dose.

This is the second year the U of A has hosted the free training, reflecting a continued commitment to student well-being and campus safety.

University leaders encourage all students to attend, emphasizing that knowing how to respond in a crisis is one of the most important ways members of the campus community can look out for one another.

"Caring for one another is a core part of a healthy Razorback community," said Becky Todd, associate vice chancellor for Student Well-being at the Division of Student Affairs. "Opioid overdose response training gives students, faculty and staff the tools to recognize when someone needs help and the confidence to act during a critical window when intervention can save a life."

The training complements other free opioid overdose prevention resources already available across the U of A campus.

Last spring, the university installed a Med Kwik machine inside the vestibule at the southeast entrance of the Pat Walker Health Center at the corner of Maple and Garland avenues. The machine, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, dispenses free Narcan opioid reversal nasal spray, as well as Fentanyl Harm Prevention Kits.

In addition, Narcan kits are also available at hundreds of locations across campus. Download a list of Narcan kit locations.

About the Division of Student Affairs: The Division of Student Affairs supports the whole student by cultivating transformative experiences and environments that promote student well-being, sense of community and success. We prioritize student access, well-being, and belonging, post-graduation success and building a strong organizational culture.