News

  • Dog’s life saved with Narcan in Marin County

    KRON 4 | Rob Nesbitt In a first for the Marin Humane Society, an animal services officer in Marin County saved a dog’s life using Narcan. The dog’s owner called 911 when the animal collapsed in a mall parking lot after discovering that their prescription medication bottle had been chewed through minutes before. At the…

  • Now recruiting AmeriCorps VISTAs to support overdose prevention in California

    Do you want to be being part of the movement to eliminate overdose deaths in California? The Center for Health Leadership and Practice (CHLP) at the Public Health Institute is actively recruiting AmeriCorps VISTA members to serve with the California Overdose Prevention Network (COPN), a network of coalitions, organizations, and individuals working at the forefront…

  • Marin Health Officials Track Illicit Drug Use by Testing Wastewater

    By: Lesley McClurg Public health officials in Marin County are now tracking illicit drugs in local wastewater — everything from nicotine to methamphetamine and fentanyl. Testing sewer water can illustrate exactly what is “hot” and where, offering a more accurate picture of the drug crisis than simply counting overdoses. “We know now that our clinical…

  • Narcan at music festivals? The life-saving drug naloxone is coming to a concert near you

    David Oliver | USA Today It’s festival season, meaning fabulous flower crowns, loud live music and Narcan. Yes, the overdose-reversing drug Narcan (naloxone) will be available at music festivals near you this year – and with good reason, experts say. Drugs and alcohol are staple at music festivals and many often overdo it. Combine that with the overwhelming presence of fentanyl in the drug…

  • Tam district stops all classes for anti-fentanyl webinar

    By KERI BRENNER | kbrenner@marinij.com | Marin Independent Journal For the first time, the Tamalpais Union High School District interrupted classes this week for all 5,000 of its students at five high schools to deliver an important message. The message, relayed in a 45-minute districtwide webinar screened mid-morning on Thursday, was simple, but ominous: “Any pill, even if you…

  • Biden-⁠Harris Administration Designates Fentanyl Combined with Xylazine as an Emerging Threat to the United States

    ATLANTA, GA – Today, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), has officially designated fentanyl adulterated or associated with xylazine as an emerging threat to the United States. Xylazine is a non-opioid tranquilizer approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for veterinary use but not human use….

  • Tranq | Xylazine

    Know what’s in your drugs Tranq or xylzine is a non-opioid drug that can slow down the nervous system. It can make breathing and heart rate slower. When tranq is mixed with another drug like heroin, fentanyl or a benzo, it can increase the risk of overdose. In case of overdose, know what to do…

  • Real Talk Matters: Fighting Fentanyl & Its Impact on Mental Health

    OD Free Marin and Marin Suicide Prevention Collaborative invite you to a one hour webinar about fentanyl that includes lived experience speakers such as a substance use navigator working at the Marin Health Emergency Department and experts in the field. The program connects National Fentanyl Awareness Day and May Mental Health Month. This Zoom event will…