UW-Platteville expands campus access to life-saving Narcan medication
The UW-Platteville Dean of Students Office has installed six new Nalox-ZONE boxes on campus, expanding access to naloxone, an opioid overdose-reversal medication also known by the brand name Narcan.
The new boxes build on the university’s 2023 installation of 15 Nalox-ZONE boxes, primarily in residence halls. The new locations focus on academic buildings and other high-traffic areas. The boxes and medication were donated by Wisconsin Voices for Recovery.
Each box contains naloxone, a CPR face mask, naloxone administration instructions and resources for individuals experiencing substance misuse. The boxes are free and available to anyone to use anonymously, including members of the community.
In a National College Health Assessment (NCHA) survey administered on campus in spring 2024, 1.2% of students self-reported that they had ever used opioids in a non-medical setting. Kristin Delaney, prevention and education coordinator in UW-Platteville's Dean of Students Office, said there's no record of an overdose, but the boxes are a precaution given opioids' highly addictive nature and potency.
Fentanyl, a tasteless, odorless substance often mixed into other medications not obtained through a pharmacy, is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. As little as 2 milligrams is enough to kill a person.
“Student safety and well-being are at the center of this effort,” Delaney said. “By expanding access to naloxone and offering training, we are providing our campus community practical tools that can help save lives in an emergency.”
Naloxone can be safely administered if an opioid overdose is suspected, even if it is unclear whether opioids are involved. In an emergency, call 911. UW-Platteville police officers also carry naloxone and are trained to administer it.
The Dean of Students Office will offer 30-minute naloxone training sessions for students, faculty and staff at the following times:
- Sept. 15 at 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the Wisconsin Room of the Markee Pioneer Student Center
- Sept. 16 at 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the Wisconsin Room of the Markee Pioneer Student Center
Nalox-ZONE Box Locations
- All residence halls
- Markee Pioneer Student Center, first floor, across from the elevators
- Ullsvik Hall, ground floor, between the Nohr Gallery and Hickory & Main
- Doudna Hall, near Lundeen Lecture Hall
- Karrmann Library, behind the information desk
- Ottensman Hall, main entrance lobby
- Pioneer Activity Center, near the front desk
- Sesquicentennial Hall, by the main entrance
- Busby Hall, near the north elevator
For more information about alcohol and other drug prevention and safety efforts at UW-Platteville, contact the Dean of Students Office at PreventionEd@uwplatt.edu or 608-342-1854.