6 p.m. Nov

CITY

Halloween brings concerns about rainbow-colored fentanyl

By Alexander Wilson

@alexgrey0604

The Drug Enforcement Administration released a statement Aug. 30 warning about rainbowcolored fentanyl being used to target younger generations in America.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid labeled as a narcotic in the medical world that is used to treat severe pain. However, overdoses from synthetic opioids like fentanyl cause more than 150 deaths per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the DEA, “fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country.”

The drug race has just begun in Colorado as police are trying to keep up with the fentanyl caseload facing the state.

“Fentanyl is almost like a daily occurrence of us being involved with somebody that either has fentanyl or has used fentanyl,” Chief of Police Michael Cochran of the Craig Police Department said in a statement to Steamboat Radio.

With Halloween right around the corner, fentanyl is on the public’s radar, as some of the pills look very similar to popular candies like Smarties or gummy bears.

For safety reasons, many politicians have encouraged parents to remain on high alert and to double-check their children’s candy.

To fight this outbreak, congressmen Doug Lamborn and Joe Neguse of Colorado introduced a bipartisan bill, the Protecting Kids from Fentanyl Act, in September.

“The Protecting Kids from Fentanyl Act is a bipartisan solution that will empower our K-12 schools to tackle this emergency,” Neguse said in a statement posted on his website. “Everyone — especially our children — deserve(s) to live in a safe community, and this bill helps achieve that goal.”

This act will allow schools to purchase naloxone, train school workers and essential student caretakers on how to administer naloxone as well as provide students with awareness classes on addiction.

“Naloxone is a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration ... designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose,” according to a statement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “It is an opioid antagonist — meaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids, such as heroin, morphine and oxycodone.”

Naloxone is the generic name for the brand Narcan. The drug can be administered via needle or a nasal spray. The Colorado State University Health Network has Narcan training and provides students with Narcan as needed.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE LELINE THE COLLEGIAN

Anyone struggling with addiction can reach out to SAMHSA’s national helpline at 800-662-4357.

Reach Alexander Wilson at news@ collegian.com.

CAMPUS

First hauntings: NRHH to hold haunted house Oct. 28

By Dj Vicente

@deejmako

As the leaves at The Oval fall to the ground with the changing season, a chilling wind blows through the Colorado State University campus as Halloween nears and Fort Collins residents come out to celebrate.

On the northwest side of campus, trouble stirs in the halls of The Pavilion at Laurel Village as members of CSU’s National Residence Hall Honorary work to create a haunt out of the building.

“It’s a super cool space,” said Cassidy Faulhaber, president of NRHH at CSU. “We’re planning to block all of it off and having scares coming through there. It should be super professional and, like, a very real experience.”

Faulhaber, alongside her cabinet and other CSU members of NRHH, invites fellow Rams, as well as residents of Fort Collins, to enjoy a fright-filled walk through The Pavilion as the organization will hold its haunted house at 6 p.m. Oct. 28. The attraction will be free.

Faulhaber mentioned the organization of The Pavilion, divided into different themed rooms that cover a wide variety of fears to scare a diverse range of students. From the undead to haunted toys, the haunted house will be pretty spooky, Faulhaber said.

“We’re definitely going to take everything into account. … It’s important to realize that we are going to do our best. I think it’s also just going to be a fun experience for everyone.”

Newsom Hall Oct. 21. Incoming students are warned by upperclassmen to avoid residing at Newsom Hall. PHOTO BY REUEL INDURKAR THE COLLEGIAN

GABRIELLA HEMPELMANN

NRHH AT CSU VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

This haunted house will also be the first one ever organized by NRHH at CSU, being a new learning experience for the organization as they work to make the inaugural event a good first impression for students.

Gabriella Hempelmann, vice president of administration and finance of NRHH at CSU, spoke about the challenges of organizing a haunted house at The Pavilion, noting its size as their main challenge in designing an effective scare.

“We’re trying to design it with the space,” Hempelmann said. “It is a little awkward for what we’re trying to do, but we figured it out, and I think it’s going to be great.”

Hempelmann took a major role in producing and organizing the haunted house, mainly in the design of the attraction, citing her previous experience organizing a haunted house every year in high school.

Hempelmann also mentioned the pressure of the haunted house being CSU NRHH’s first and hopes this year’s reception will be positive enough to bolster effort into next year’s version.

“We’re definitely going to take everything into account,” Hempelmann said. “It’s important to realize that we are going to do our best. ... I think it’s also just going to be a fun experience for everyone.”

The haunted house will also act as a safe space for eventgoers, acting as an alternative to oncampus parties.

“Some people don’t feel comfortable going to other people’s houses to hang out, or they don’t know as many people,” Hempelmann said. “This is an awesome experience for them.”

By providing a safe alternative to Halloween parties, the haunted house will also be able to prevent dangerous incidents from occurring. Vice President of Recognition & Service of NRHH at CSU Aimee White said the haunted house will have no alcohol present and staff on site to “deal with situations if something were to arise.”

While wanting to create a haunted house full of scares, NRHH at CSU still seeks to promote the knowledge of resources available to students, “making sure people — specifically first years — are more aware of these free resources that they have,” White said.

With scares being anxietybased, Faulhaber said, it is also part of CSU NRHH’s goal to provide support for students struggling with college life — something Faulhaber said aligns with the organization’s foundational pillars.

“We’ll have some info cards about how to cope with loneliness and anxiety in college to kind of tie into our pillars: … helping the community and also just trying to make people’s lives better, on top of a super cool haunted house,” Faulhaber said.

The event will also be a great way to connect with other students and community members, as well as to slow down and relax during a busy holiday, Hempelmann said.

“I think it’s a great way to bring the community together,” Hempelmann said. “I’m hoping that having a fun time will allow people to just destress and chill out for a little bit.”

Reach DJ Vicente at news@ collegian.com.