Opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone could be available in all Minnesota schools next year
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Some lawmakers in the Minnesota Legislature are pushing for schools to stock up on life-saving medicine naloxone as the opioid epidemic continues to shatter so many lives, including kids. New federal legislation would provide a funding boost to help cover the costs.
The proposal would require each school building to keep two doses of the nasal spray version of the drug known as Narcan, which can reverse the effects of an overdose. The policy and funding to support it are tucked inside two House and Senate spending packages subject to end-of-session budget negotiations.
"We simply cannot tolerate more needless loss of life. We have to act with urgency and we have to act now," said Sen. Kelly Morrison, DFL-Deephaven. "We are thrilled that finally our bill is close to making it all the way to becoming law in Minnesota."
U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips joined Morrison and other advocates at a Thursday news conference at the state capitol to tout a new bill he's co-authored in Congress designed to incentivize states to make similar moves as Minnesota. He said the "School Access to Naloxone Act" is modeled after legislation from a decade ago to push Epi-pens nationwide, and would prioritize grant funding to states that require naloxone in schools to help pay for the medicine and training of staff on how to use it.
"At the federal level, not every state is doing that, so this is complementary more than anything else," Phillips said. "It's just simply allows schools to apply for dollars that currently exist. And it's actually quite easy and easily accessible, but right now they are precluded from doing so."
This effort comes as state data from the Minnesota Department of Health show the number of hospital visits for nonfatal overdoses among school-aged children nearly tripled from 2016 to 2021.
There was also a record number of people dying from overdoses in 2021, with opioids to blame in a majority of cases. And 90% of those opioid overdose fatalities were linked to the highly potent and illicit fentanyl.
Colleen Ronnei, founder of Change the Outcome, works with schools to educate young people about the dangers of opioids ever since she lost her son Luke to an overdose in 2016. She said at the time she didn't know about naloxone and its power to save lives -- and wish she had.
She's advocated for the policy, working with Morrison on drafting the bill language, for years.
"Lives will be saved by embracing legislation to provide safe, easily administered medication that allows educators to quickly respond should a student or adult overdose at school," Ronnei said.
Bloomington Public Schools is one district leading the way by already keeping naloxone on-hand case of an emergency in both middle and high schools. Officials there in December told WCCO they had seen an increase of inquiries from other district across the state about their naloxone policy.
Ten states require schools have naloxone policies, according to a report from Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Narcan for over-the-counter, non-prescription sale.
