IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Narcan is now available in every residence hall on the University of Iowa’s campus, as well as the Iowa Memorial Union. Narcan, also known as Naloxone, is a medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. That includes prescription drugs like hydrocodone, as well as heroin and fentanyl.

Student Wellness Associate Director Trisha Welter says they’re implementing it to keep up with Iowa’s growing opioid crisis. Though she says overdoses, especially opioid overdoses, are not common on campus. But even though overdoses aren’t common on campus, Dr. Heidi Wood with the UI’s Addiction and Recovery Collaborative says the problem of opioids is happening close to home.

According to a survey by research institute RAND Corporation, about 42% of Americans know someone who’s died of a drug overdose. Because of this, the Wood hopes to be able to expand this program even further in the future. Wood says that there’s no risk of endangering someone with the medication, as it won’t have any adverse effects on someone not experiencing an opioid overdose.