The Necessity of Narcan

“Most importantly, if I could let Zach know how much I love him regardless of the challenges he was facing,” said Jim Horton, Zach’s father.

This is a harsh reality that families across the country are facing. Last year, the CDC reported over 105,000 deaths across that were caused by a drug overdose. Horton is the president of the Zachary Horton Foundation, which was formed in 2020 after the death of his son.

Since Zach’s passing, the Hortons have worked to help those struggling with opioid addiction to educate those who may know someone who is fighting addiction. Horton says the stigma can contribute cause people to hide their addiction.

“Don’t keep it a secret and don’t be ashamed but therein lies that stigma,” Horton said.

If someone is hiding their addiction, a medical emergency may come as a shock, so it’s good to be prepared. Narcan can help revive someone during an overdose when used as a nasal spray before performing CPR if necessary, to save someone’s life.

“We want to particularly make aware the availability of Narcan here on campus, you can come to the SHCC and we do have it for students to pick up,” said Dr. Robert Mitchell, director of medical services at the Fresno State Student Health and Counseling Center.

Narcan is free for students at the health center.