Last semester, an overdose of an illicit drug took the life of one of Purdue’s proud students. However tragic, this event has shown our community and the country at large that something needs to be done.

Two months ago, Indiana governor Mike Pence signed a bill that allows first responders to carry Narcan. Also referred to as Naloxone, this drug is an opiate antagonist which works at negating some the effects of overdosing on opioid based drugs, like morphine or heroin. Narcan is already used in some hospitals to help save individuals with cases of opioid overdoses, but in the time it takes to transport an ailing individual to the a hospital to receive the life saving treatment, it's often too late.

By allowing first responders to carry Narcan, they'll be able to administer life-saving treatment on site rather than wait for an ambulance. Marion County alone has already seen over 1,000 cases of opioid overdoses that have been treated and saved by a first responder carrying Narcan.

Last week, police and firefighters in West Lafayette were given a three-day training course on how to properly use the nasally administered form of Narcan. Indiana State University has also trained its campus police force and fire department on how to use the drug.