Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith knows the harmful effects of opioids.
Smith said he knows people who've experienced overdoses in the past due to the consumption of opioids, referring to a friend's son whose death could've been prevented if medical aid was available.
"It was in a place where, if NARCAN nasal spray would have been readily available, it's possible his son can still be alive today," Smith said.
Smith works with Emergent BioSolutions, the supplier of NARCAN Nasal Spray, to host "Ready to Rescue" tailgates. These events are held nationwide to inform students and attendees about keeping naloxone on hand and how to apply it effectively. Their stop at an ASU football game against Kansas on Oct. 5 brought the discussion of the opioid crisis to ASU tailgaters, stressing its significance to the student population.
NARCAN Nasal Spray is an emergency medical aid used to combat opioid overdoses. The main ingredient, naloxone, reverses the effects of an overdose in minutes.
There have been 847 confirmed opioid-related deaths in Arizona since January 2024 — between two and three opioid-related deaths a day this year — and over 2,700 verified, non-fatal overdoses, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Administering the nasal spray to a person who is not having an overdose will not harm them in any way. NARCAN will only help or have any effect when given to someone overdosing, said Assal Hellmer, vice president of communications at Emergent.
"It's really important to talk to young adults, to talk to parents, to talk to communities across the country to make sure that people are aware of NARCAN Nasal Spray, how to administer it, and how to really be ready to respond in case they come across someone who's experiencing one (an overdose)," Hellmer said.
Smith and the team from Emergent BioSolutions said to adopt the "lay, spray, stay" method when administering NARCAN. People in an emergency should first call 911, then lay the affected person down gently, insert and deploy the naloxone, and wait for medical assistance, Smith said.
"Do those things because time is of the essence," Smith said. "The quicker the EMTs can get there to help you, and the quicker you can get the NARCAN, this spray, inserted into the equation, the probability of recovery can increase."
The nasal spray can now be bought over the counter and on websites, such as Amazon, to encourage everyone and anyone to keep the treatment on hand, Hellmer said.
"People don't necessarily feel comfortable always walking in and buying NARCAN because of the stigma," Hellmer said. "So ordering it on Amazon and having it come to your house is one easy way, and then a lot of departments of health, like local community-based organizations, hand it out for free."
Hellmer said it is Emergent BioSolution's mission to destigmatize the need for help when it comes to opioids.
"It's not about having a problem — addiction is a medical condition and it takes time," Hellmer said. "It takes people to understand that there's a recovery journey and whether it's saving someone's life for the first time or the 10th time, that they deserve that chance."
Whether someone takes opioids or not, the event encourages everyone to keep NARCAN on hand. Deni Yacoobian, a communications professional for GCI Health — a public relations agency used by Emergent — said it's good for students to be prepared for an opioid emergency in case a friend or anyone nearby overdoses.
"I've heard students say to me, 'I don't do drugs. I don't need that,'" Yacoobian said. "Well, actually, you would be the perfect person to carry it because someone who's experiencing an accidental overdose can't administer NARCAN to themselves."
The "Ready to Rescue" initiative's main focus is preparing for accidental overdoses, especially with students. It's estimated nearly 91% of deaths from opioids were unintentional, according to Ready to Rescue. Opioid overdose is the leading cause of injury death in the U.S., according to Yacoobian.
Smith said situations where students get prescription medications, without getting them directly from medical professionals, can open up the risk of opioid-related incidences.
"Trying to help young people be keenly aware of their environment, but also be very cautious about where you get your stuff from," Smith said. "I think that's important."
Another high risk of opioid addiction or incidences stems from physical expectations in sports.
"Players are expected to push through injuries and they’re prescribed opiates to fight through the pain and continue to play," Yacoobian said. "There's actually a big pipeline where college players want to keep playing, and then they get prescribed opiates, and they develop a dependency through their professional careers."
Smith said another piece of advice he hopes to share with students is to never mix the medication with alcohol or other substances, as it could negate the original effect or dangerously enhance it.
"Something that we continuously say is: Just be prepared. Just be ready. You never know," Hellmer said.
Edited by Andrew Dirst, Sophia Ramirez, Alysa Horton and Alexis Heichman.
Reach the reporters at sjames51@asu.edu and gheadle@asu.edu and follow @sennajames_ and @George_Headley7 on X.
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Senna is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication with a minor in Spanish. This is her third semester with The State Press.
George is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication. This is his third semester with The State Press. He has also worked at Times Media Group.
