Alabama Narcan vending machine highlights widespread need for harm reduction services
Plus, two news stories perpetuate myths about accidental fentanyl exposure risk among police officers.
Plus, two news stories perpetuate myths about accidental fentanyl exposure risk among police officers.
This past week, social media posts about opioids reflected positive attitudes toward harm reduction and the need for broader Narcan access. News stories about accidental fentanyl exposure prompted debate about how fentanyl exposure happens and demonstrated persistent fears and confusion about the drug.
These conversations set the stage for public health communicators to share what harm reduction programs do (and don’t do), explain how people can access and administer Narcan to reverse an overdose, and continue debunking myths about accidental fentanyl exposure.
Insights brought to you by the reporters and science writers of Public Good News (PGN), a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving community health.
What’s trending nationally in conversations about opioids
This week, an X post about a vending machine that offers free Narcan in a small Alabama town garnered approximately 184,600 views, 6,100 likes, 1,000 reposts, and 30 comments as of July 31. Most comments expressed gratitude for the vending machine and for Narcan, and some called for Narcan vending machines in their own communities.
On July 22, multiple local news websites reported that an Indiana police officer passed out due to accidental fentanyl exposure during a traffic stop. The officer claims he found a dollar bill covered in what he believes was fentanyl and “accidentally inhaled the white powder.” A doctor who shared the story on X wrote, “You cannot ‘accidentally inhale’ fentanyl, & actually cannot ‘accidentally inhale’ any powder off a dollar bill in an enclosed vehicle. It has to be snorted (aka insufflated), which is intentional ingestion, or (heat) vaporized to be inhaled. Shame on media for perpetuating lies.” That post received approximately 68,100 views, 2,500 likes, 540 reposts, and 35 comments as of July 31. Some comments suggested that the officer had a panic attack because he thought he’d been exposed to fentanyl, while others suggested he may have lied about the cause of his symptoms.
On July 24, local news websites reported on a similar story about a Colorado police officer who collapsed on the job and was briefly hospitalized, allegedly due to touching fentanyl. The story quickly spread across YouTube, X, and Facebook. The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook post about the incident received mixed reactions. Some comments attempted to debunk the myth that fentanyl exposure can happen through touch, saying, “It is a common misconception that fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin, but it is not true for casual exposure.” Others claimed they knew people who had experienced the effects of fentanyl after touching it.
This week’s conversations about police officers and accidental fentanyl exposure come on the heels of last week’s trending narratives, when a Houston electrical lineman falsely claimed his coworkers had received fentanyl-laced bottled water.
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Recommendations for public health professionals
Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about mental health.
Trending conversations about Narcan vending machines provide an opportunity to recirculate materials outlining what services harm reduction programs offer and how they prevent overdose deaths. Explaining that naloxone—often sold under the brand name Narcan—is available for purchase over the counter and may be available for free through local nonprofits and harm reduction programs is recommended. Communicators may also share written instructions and links to training programs that explain how to properly administer Narcan.
Due to recent news stories about accidental fentanyl exposure, debunking myths about how fentanyl overdoses happen is recommended. Messaging may emphasize that while fentanyl is a potent opioid that is involved in most overdose deaths, you cannot overdose on fentanyl by touching it or by accidentally inhaling a small amount. People who use drugs are at risk of fentanyl overdose because fentanyl is often unknowingly mixed with a variety of other drugs.
Community organizations and other partners that serve people who use drugs can share information about fentanyl test strips, which prevent overdose deaths by helping people determine whether their drugs contain fentanyl. Test strips are not legal everywhere, so communicators should stay up to date on laws in their state.