The University of Kansas Student Senate has voted overwhelmingly in favour of making Narcan training compulsory for all university staff, faculty and campus employees. The decision reflects growing concern over the opioid crisis among young adults across the United States.

The Senate passed the resolution on 11 March 2026 with a vote of 34 to 2. It calls on the university’s administration to roll out structured naloxone training so non-medical personnel can respond confidently during an opioid emergency.

What the Narcan Training Would Cover

The proposed programme would teach staff how to recognise the signs of an opioid overdose. It would also cover how to administer naloxone nasal spray correctly and when to contact Emergency Medical Services. Participants would learn about Good Samaritan legal protections too. Those who have experienced overdose or medical trauma could opt out.

Engineering Student Council Senator Evanna Dominic authored the resolution. She said the push came from a very real and present danger on campuses.

“I think with the growing issues of fentanyl, like things being laced, I think it’s just really important to kind of know how to go about it the right way,” Dominic said.

The Scale of the Opioid Crisis

The numbers behind this resolution are striking. Kansas recorded 349 opioid overdose deaths in 2024, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. That figure dropped from the year before, but student senators want to keep pushing the number down.

Pharmacy Senator Jeff Brooker co-sponsored the resolution. He stressed that many opioid overdose deaths are entirely accidental, including cases tied to prescription medications. Fellow sponsor and Pharmacy Senator Fisher Mosier said stigma is one of the biggest barriers stopping people from accepting naloxone.

“Working in community pharmacy and providing Narcan to patients who receive prescription opioids, something that does occur more frequently than one might expect is people turning down the Narcan,” Mosier said. “They don’t want to be seen as somebody who’s misusing opioids.”

How to Recognise an Overdose

Knowing the warning signs saves lives. Mosier and Brooker said common signs include slow or shallow breathing, blue-tinged lips or fingernails, pinpoint pupils and unresponsiveness. That bluish discolouration can separate an overdose from other emergencies like a concussion. This is exactly why broader Narcan training matters beyond medical professionals.

“We are well within and constantly surrounded by people who use recreational drugs,” Brooker said. “The more people that know how to identify things like an opioid overdose and when to administer Narcan, the better.”

Where to Access Naloxone Training and Supplies in Lawrence

Narcan is already widely available across Lawrence, Kansas. Vending machines stocked with naloxone kits sit at the Lawrence Transit Central Station, Lawrence Community Shelter, Homeless Resource Center and Heartland Community Health Center. Students at KU can purchase naloxone at Watkins Pharmacy or pick up a kit from the Health Education Resource Office (HERO) on campus. Brooker advised everyone to check expiration dates and keep doses within easy reach.

Building Momentum Beyond the Vote

Senator Dominic took practical steps outside the chamber as well. On 28 March, she organised a community workshop titled “Educating to Save Lives.” The event brought together the KU Health Education Resource Office, Douglas County Citizens Committee on Alcoholism and KU pharmacy students. Attendees watched live demonstrations on how to use Narcan and fentanyl test strips.

Those behind the resolution believe Chancellor Doug Girod will back it. His background as a surgeon and former dean of the KU School of Medicine gives them confidence he understands the stakes.

“People with medical training can’t be everywhere like all the time all at once,” Mosier said. “Educating the general public really can help prevent more overdose deaths.”

The university administration must now respond formally. If KU adopts the programme, it will join a growing number of institutions nationwide that treat naloxone training as a core part of campus safety. Sometimes the most important first responder is simply the person standing closest.

Source: kansan