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Opioids strike out of nowhere. Such was the story of Adam Moser, a popular, intelligent kid, fresh out of college and a fan of the history behind World War II. However, shocking his family and the community around him, he overdosed on fentanyl at age 27.
This taught everyone the cold, hard truth: No matter how your life may be going, anyone can succumb to addiction.
The crisis is rampant in Alameda County, especially in people who are younger. According to the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department, overdoses in the county are highest for people between the ages of 25 to 44 years old.
In 2021 alone, 20% of youth deaths in Alameda County were due to fentanyl overdoses, and that percentage has only gone up.
Fentanyl overdoses are not unique to the county; fentanyl overdoses are increasing across the country.
A 2024 study published in the journal Health Affairs states, “Racial and ethnic disparities in opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. have widened in recent years, potentially driven by inequitable access to naloxone.”
The authors wrote that predominantly Black, Asian, and Hispanic communities have consistently seen less engagement from these programs, not receiving the proper training or even general knowledge as to what naloxone is compared to their white counterparts.
Authors of an article published in Harm Reduction Journal reported Black communities, which are hit hardest by opioid overdoses, are much less likely to have training in naloxone or even have access to it in the first place.
However, access to naloxone isn’t the only problem.
Stigma and fear of punishment can prevent bystanders from reporting overdoses to law enforcement or healthcare professionals.
While these problems may seem grim, the upside is that there are solutions. Naloxone training is a great program for communities to have access to. It has been documented by numerous researchers that the usage of proper naloxone distribution can significantly decrease the impacts of opioid overdose mortality. Especially with proper training, communities can finally solve these overdoses at their root.
It was noticed internationally that, once training was implemented in all communities in a county, over 26,000 opioid overdoses were reversed, representing an 89% reversal rate.
There are other programs to help with access and training, such as Micah’s Hugs, Alameda County Naloxone Distribution Program and Cal Rx Naloxone Access Initiative. These are programs which do not discriminate against people’s ability to gain access to naloxone based on the color of their skin or the depth of their wallets, rather seeing the humanity inside.
Not just that, but these programs also allow for the implementation of training for future healthcare professionals who are aiming to enter the jobs with the least amount of bias possible.
Volunteering or even donating for such programs could help save lives. However, more than just these programs, there are things we as individuals can do such as knowing how to react in case of an overdose, especially on how to help people who are suffering an overdose.
The most important thing that anyone can do for someone suffering from an overdose is to call 911 and wait until first responders arrive, administering naloxone every two minutes and giving CPR when necessary. We should not wait until tragedy strikes because we can make a difference today. Every conversation and every act of support can bring us one step closer to preventing the next overdose.
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
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