It’s the drug that could save your child’s life – Narcan. Texas law requires many public schools (with students grades 6 through 12) to have Naloxone (or Narcan) on campus. This went into effect at the start of the 2023 school year. KPRC 2′s Zach Lashway is checking back with school districts in our area about Narcan protocols.
Why is it important to have Narcan in schools?
The Texas ‘One Pill Kills’ campaign teaches about the dangers of Fentanyl. The drug is a powerful synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl, equal to 10 to15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose.
Naloxone is a medicine used to reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone does not have an effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system. Examples of opioids include heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine and morphine.
Naloxone comes in two forms: injectable and nasal spray.
One of the most common forms of naloxone is Narcan, a nasal spray available over the counter and in all public schools within Texas that have students in grades 6 - 12.
Most, if not all local districts have Narcan in their elementary schools.
Here’s a look at local colleges and districts:
Houston ISD
- Has not responded to the several emails and phone call regarding Narcan in its district
Fort Bend County ISD
- Narcan is at all elementary, middle and high school campuses
- All campus 83 registered nurses (RNs), 12 high school licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) and 27 secondary principals are trained to store, use and dispose of Narcan
- There were no instances that required the use of Narcan last year. To date, the use of Narcan has not been required at any FBISD schools.
Katy ISD
- Narcan is on all campuses, and all district police officers carry Narcan
- Nurses, clinic aides and district police officers are trained to administer Narcan
- Narcan has not be deployed at any campuses
Pearland ISD
- Narcan is on all campuses, each campus is supplied with multiple two-packs of Narcan
- Nurses, nurses-aides, SRO’s, athletic trainers and all member of campus medical response teams are trained to administer Narcan
- Narcan has not been administered at any of the district’s schools
Cleveland ISD
- Narcan is on 12 campuses (elementary and secondary schools)
- Narcan is in every AED box on secondary campuses
- All district officers, transportation supervisors, athletic trainers, high school fine arts directors, secondary principals, assistant principals, some teachers and public information officer carry Narcan (more than 100 people)
- More than 200 boxes of Narcan in district
- All district employees who carry Narcan are trained to administer Narcan
- Teachers who request to carry Narcan are also trained to administer Narcan
- Narcan was administered to one student so far this year (2024-2025) school year
- Student required two doses of Narcan on August 12
- Transported to nearby hospital, treated and eventually released
- Narcan was administered to seven students in 2023-2024 school year
- Five students received two doses of Narcan
- Two students received one dose of Narcan
- All students were transported to nearby hospitals, treated and released
Rice University
- Narcan is on campus
- Emergency and medical personnel are equipped with Narcan and trained to administer the medicine
- Student health services medical staff (four medical doctors and four registered nurses)
- Rice University Police Department officers (29)
- 95 EMTs/personnel
- Narcan is also available in AED cabinets at two graduate student apartments
- Residents were offered training and a QR code links to information guide
- Narcan has not been administered by anyone trained on campus
University of Houston
- Narcan has been on campus for at least five years
- Narcan is assigned to all police officers and security officers, all are trained to administer
- There is no record of the drug having to be administered by anyone trained on campus
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