The Wilkes University Pharmacy Club hosted their usual Opioid Awareness walk on Thursday, and also sold hot dogs and shirts to raise funds for Naloxone (Narcan), a drug that can quickly reverse opioid overdoses.
Jaden Greco mentioned that April is Opioid Awareness month while students were setting up tables and grilling on the Fenner Quadrangle. The walk helps students bring attention to the issue and the importance of Naloxone.
The money raised will be used to donate Naloxone to the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department, which often administers the drug as first responders to counteract the deadly effects of an overdose like slowed breathing.
Naloxone training, including intramuscular injection and atomizer usage (as the fire department uses), is part of the education at the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, along with clinical, pain management, and substance abuse pharmacy training.
The Wilkes chapter of the American Pharmacists Association met before the walk on campus. Students participating in the walk or passing by could purchase hot dogs, baked goods, or T-shirts. The event took place from 11 a.m. to around 12:30 p.m.
