USC fights overdosing with Narcan cabinets in on-campus fraternity

U.S. overdose deaths reached an all-time high of 107,941 in 2022 , and the non-profit National Overdose Prevention and Education , also known as N.O.P.E., located in Santa Ana, California, is dedicated to developing programs to change the culture of substance use by leveraging technology.

N.O.P.E founder Dave Pratt tells KNX News, "We need to protect our future generations from the threat of illicit drugs such as Fentanyl."

As part of that mission, N.O.P.E. installed cabinets stocked with Narcan in the USC on-campus fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa .

"We explained that having the Narcan cabinets there is really just like having a fire extinguisher: It's there if you need it, and you hope you'll never need it," said Pratt.

With the cabinets installed, in collaboration with County of Los Angeles Health officials and strong support from USC students, N.O.P.E. also offers extensive education and training.

"By offering this Narcan training, we are taking a proactive step in safeguarding our student community and addressing the Fentanyl crisis. We are encouraging all students to participate in this valuable training, which can make a critical difference in emergency situations," said Pratt.

It is N.O.P.E.'s vision to have these lifesaving cabinets widely available.