Statement in Support of Narcan Distribution

The New Jersey Library Association recognizes the massive death toll associated with the Opioid Epidemic, and joins the New Jersey Department of Human Service in their efforts to combat this threat to all of our communities through the distribution of naloxone (brand name Narcan) to all of our libraries and patrons. While NJ’s Overdose Prevention Act of 2021 mandates that all libraries have naloxone on hand to administer as needed, and at least one staff person (or regular volunteer) trained to do so (*), DHS and NJLA encourage all libraries to take the next step and provide it directly to the public, making it freely accessible across the state.

In 2022, nearly 3,000 New Jerseyans from every county—our patrons, the friends and family of colleagues, sometimes our colleagues themselves—overdosed and died. The stresses and hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic and the influx of the very potent fentanyl into the drug supply are behind the recent steep rise of overdose deaths, leaving no community untouched. There is hope though, and the death toll has finally decreased this year, for the first time since before the pandemic, representing the first significant drop in a decade. Some experts attribute this drop to the widespread access and use of naloxone. The number of deaths, however, are still 50% higher than they were in 2019, and there is still work to be done.

Libraries are well-positioned to help in this fight. As librarians, we provide information as a public service to improve lives. Any service we offer is an opportunity to provide information on safety and treatment. Harm reduction methods—like distribution of naloxone and fentanyl test strips, syringe services programs (SSPs), etc.—have been shown to not encourage or increase drug use. Rather, they tend to decrease use and increase help-seeking behavior. For example, people who use SSPs are five times more likely to enter treatment. Each Narcan kit doesn’t just stop an overdose, but also provides an opportunity to give our patrons the information and impetus they need to find treatment. There is nothing libraries can do to save more lives than this.

Among public institutions, libraries are uniquely trusted by our communities—to provide resources, information, and most of all, help. As Barbara Gay of the Iowa Substance Abuse Information Center said, "When someone needs help, the library is one of the few places where they feel comfortable. Going to a treatment center may be a much scarier step." Your library can get large supplies of Narcan for free through the State of New Jersey's Naloxone Distribution Program.

(*) Naloxone is a safe medicine and should not cause any serious issues, whether a person has opioids in their system or not. Staff and volunteers are protected by Good Samaritan Laws. Distribution is legal as well.