Attending parties is common within college culture. However, there can be risks potentially outweighing the benefits, including sexual and physical assault, unplanned sexual activity and injury or death, according to a study done by Iowa College of Public Health in July 2015.
Providing party kits is a preventive measure that Cosumnes River College takes to protect students. These party kits include Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, drink spiking test strips, a condom, lubrication, a drink cover and informational cards about opioids, vapes, what to do in case of an emergency and contact information for WEAVE.
WEAVE is Sacramento County’s primary provider of crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Confidential advocates are available to students or employees in the College Center.
Senate Bill 367 requires California community college districts and the Trustees of the California State University to distribute an opioid overdose reversal medication Naloxone, popularly known as Narcan, as of August 2022, according to the California Legislative Information website.
Narcan is a single-use nasal spray designed to rapidly reverse the effects of a life-threatening opioid emergency, according to the product’s packaging.
“The opioids block pain receptors,” said College Nurse Michelle Barkley. “When we have too much of it in our system, it can block your respiratory drive.”
If you mistakenly administer Narcan on an individual who is not actively experiencing a drug overdose it will not harm them, said Mental Health Advocate for the Los Rios Community College District, Kat Gaston. “[If] somebody faints in front of you and you can’t tell if they’re really drunk, intoxicated that way, or they’re having an overdose. If you do use it they’re going to be okay.”
Individuals experiencing an overdose may exhibit symptoms such as pinpointed pupils, lethargy, confusion, gargling, shallow breathing, gasping and may physically appear intoxicated, blue or purple in the face, Barkley said.
“I think just on a real note, it’s [Naloxone] something that’s needed on campuses, it’s something that’s needed in our community, something that everybody needs to be educated and self aware of. So, even if it wasn’t a law, I think all campuses should have it,” Gaston said.
Gilbert Gacilan, the campus mental health clinician supervisor, said the party kits provide people with the resources to check if their drink might have been laced.
“We call it like a harm reduction model,” Gacilan said. “Where if you were to drink alcohol, where if you were to use drugs, if you’re able to test it beforehand, let’s provide you with the supplies to do it.”
Fentanyl testing strips were considered drug paraphernalia until Oct. 8, 2023 when Assembly Bill 461 required community colleges in California to provide them as a resource effective Jan. 2024, according to California Legislative Information.
For Americans aged 18-24, the leading cause of death is fentanyl overdose, and was responsible for nearly 70 percent of drug overdose deaths in 2022, according to Get Smart About Drugs, a drug enforcement administration resource for parents, educators and caregivers.
The informational cards that are provided within the kit also offer resources for quitting smoking and reducing substance abuse, Barkely said.
“We want people to get support for resources,” Barkley said. “If anyone is interested in quitting [smoking] or doing the Sacramento County System of Care for Substance Use treatment, it’s on here as well.”
Students can pick up a free party kit from the front desk at the College Health Center, located in the Operations and Public Safety building. Students must provide a student ID number.