Safety In A Jar
Hello!
My name is Jean FitzGibbons. I'm a nursing student at the University of Pittsburgh who has been involved with my local needle exchange program, Prevention Point Pittsburgh , in various capacities for over 10 years. The things that are important to know here are: I like the band Phish, really hate opioid overdoses and deaths from opioid overdoses - which are entirely preventable. There is a drug that is remarkably effective at reversing an overdose called Naloxone. More information on Naloxone can be found here.
I will be distributing Naloxone at Phish's August 14th Raleigh, NC show, I'm raising money to purchase Naloxone kits.
This idea occured to me not long after I heard about the tragic news of Harris Wittels' death of a suspected opioid overdose . Wittels in addition to being a producer on the amazing show Parks and Rec was a huge Phish fan and very much part of the Phish community. You might know him from Comedy Bang Bang or Analyze Phish , a wonderful podcast he hosted with Scott Aukerman.
Anyhow, Wittels had always been rather open about his drug use and struggle with addiction, especially with how attending Phish shows played into that equation. There is drug use at these shows, and if someone takes too much there is medical staff on hand to provide medical attention. I am more concerned with what happens when people go home from the show. I want to distribute Naloxone so that people can have that safeguard with them no matter where they are.
I'm not doing this to encourage drug use, what I care about is harm reduction. In the case of opiates this means providing Naloxone - and just as importantly - providing education on how to handle a suspected opiate overdose. So what do I want to do? I want to walk the lot before the show and talk to people about OD prevention and provide them kits.
These kits are what we're raising money for. Each contains two vials of Naloxone, two syringes, and a quick reference instructional guide. So how are we going to get these, surely there must be some kind of restriction on access?
Excellent question! Through my connections with Pittsburgh's needle exchange I have been able to work with the Raleigh needle exchange and we will distribute Naloxone through them. Why Raleigh? Well they're skipping Pittsburgh and Ohio has restrictive Naloxone laws while North Carolina does not, also it's a feasbile drive (that I'll be paying for on my own dime).
Let me bottom line the opiate issue for you: opiate overdoses are preventable, and if you have the simple knowledge of how to provide Naloxone you literally can save someone's life in an instant. It's that easy. Nobody needs to die this way. Even if you don't want to throw down some money watch this video on the process!
When you attend a Phish show you feel like you're part of a community - because you are. It's a gathering where the feeling of commradery around you is intoxicating in its own right. Each Phish show you come away from you compare to those before it and to those still yet to come: a Phish show sticks with you. Our goal is to impart some knowledge embedded within this experience. Being able to get the word out on harm reduction and overdose prevention - and to get the Naloxone out into the community - is what I'm asking for your help with.
My name is Jean FitzGibbons. I'm a nursing student at the University of Pittsburgh who has been involved with my local needle exchange program, Prevention Point Pittsburgh , in various capacities for over 10 years. The things that are important to know here are: I like the band Phish, really hate opioid overdoses and deaths from opioid overdoses - which are entirely preventable. There is a drug that is remarkably effective at reversing an overdose called Naloxone. More information on Naloxone can be found here.
I will be distributing Naloxone at Phish's August 14th Raleigh, NC show, I'm raising money to purchase Naloxone kits.
This idea occured to me not long after I heard about the tragic news of Harris Wittels' death of a suspected opioid overdose . Wittels in addition to being a producer on the amazing show Parks and Rec was a huge Phish fan and very much part of the Phish community. You might know him from Comedy Bang Bang or Analyze Phish , a wonderful podcast he hosted with Scott Aukerman.
Anyhow, Wittels had always been rather open about his drug use and struggle with addiction, especially with how attending Phish shows played into that equation. There is drug use at these shows, and if someone takes too much there is medical staff on hand to provide medical attention. I am more concerned with what happens when people go home from the show. I want to distribute Naloxone so that people can have that safeguard with them no matter where they are.
I'm not doing this to encourage drug use, what I care about is harm reduction. In the case of opiates this means providing Naloxone - and just as importantly - providing education on how to handle a suspected opiate overdose. So what do I want to do? I want to walk the lot before the show and talk to people about OD prevention and provide them kits.
These kits are what we're raising money for. Each contains two vials of Naloxone, two syringes, and a quick reference instructional guide. So how are we going to get these, surely there must be some kind of restriction on access?
Excellent question! Through my connections with Pittsburgh's needle exchange I have been able to work with the Raleigh needle exchange and we will distribute Naloxone through them. Why Raleigh? Well they're skipping Pittsburgh and Ohio has restrictive Naloxone laws while North Carolina does not, also it's a feasbile drive (that I'll be paying for on my own dime).
Let me bottom line the opiate issue for you: opiate overdoses are preventable, and if you have the simple knowledge of how to provide Naloxone you literally can save someone's life in an instant. It's that easy. Nobody needs to die this way. Even if you don't want to throw down some money watch this video on the process!
When you attend a Phish show you feel like you're part of a community - because you are. It's a gathering where the feeling of commradery around you is intoxicating in its own right. Each Phish show you come away from you compare to those before it and to those still yet to come: a Phish show sticks with you. Our goal is to impart some knowledge embedded within this experience. Being able to get the word out on harm reduction and overdose prevention - and to get the Naloxone out into the community - is what I'm asking for your help with.
Organizer
Jean FitzGibbons
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA