Opioid prevention campaign kicks off at Sonoma State

Trevor Leopold was a freshman at Sonoma State when he died of a fentanyl overdose in 2019. Trevor was battling with addiction, so what he thought was oxycodone, a pain medication, was instead a fentanyl counterfeit. At 18 years old, that unknowing decision cost him his life. He was said to have a very positive outlook on life and was actively working toward a bright future. As fentanyl overdoses are becoming more common, no one is immune to the possibility of counterfeit drugs.

Michelle Leopold, Trevor’s mother, is now an activist for overdose prevention and will be speaking at an event hosted by SSU on Mon., March 6 in Ballroom A.

To prevent more stories like Trevor’s, Sonoma State and other colleges around California are increasing awareness and prevention in a new campaign.

A new state law, effective Jan. 1, calls for prevention measures to be more accessible to students. With 109 fentanyl-related deaths in Sonoma County in 2021, SSU is aiming to teach students that fentanyl is dangerous and present in counterfeit opioids and other laced drugs.

Nader Oweis, chief of police at Sonoma State, explains how information will be given to students, “We will be working with Student Involvement, REACH and the Health Center to discuss overdose prevention during tabling events through the semester and in the Fall.” The goal is to make sure that students know how to properly manage an overdose and understand the resources available, he added.

One of the most important resources is Narcan, or naloxone, a substance that can be administered at the time of an overdose of opioids to save a person’s life, and is carried by SSU police officers as well as given to students in the health center. The campaign is looking to increase awareness and training of Narcan so students can feel comfortable having it on hand.

According to the California Department of Public Health, “Naloxone can be quickly given through nasal spray in the nose, or through an injectable or auto-injector into the outer thigh or another major muscle. Naloxone is safe and easy to use, works almost immediately, and is not addictive. Naloxone has very few negative effects, and has no effect if opioids are not in a person’s system”. Narcan typically works in two to three minutes, and if not, another dose should be administered.

Julia Zavala, a third year Communication major, believes that the education of Narcan is important, “I just think a lot of college students are into partying and you never know where things are really coming from, so it’s great that students can become more educated on how to deal with an overdose,” said Zavala

The party scene in college often comes with a lot of impulse decisions and and altered decision making. What may seem like a new and exciting experience can quickly turn deadly. Fentanyl is undetectable by sight, taste, or smell, so any user would be ingesting the substance unknowingly. Fentanyl is an issue in every community and not just on college campuses.

Sonoma State University introduces the

Bundle in hopes to make textbook purchasing more affordable and convenient.

Students call for cheaper textbooks as costs continue to rise

TITO FUENTES STAFF WRITER

Later this Fall, Sonoma State University will be moving to a new learning material program called the Seawolf Bundle. This is the university’s version of an “equitable access program”. This program lowers the overall cost of learning material through volume agreements with publishers and provides the same price for learning material even for high-cost majors. Instead of purchasing required learning software, textbooks, and digital materials individually, this program compiles everything into one package.

Similar to how students pay for classes with one flat rate per course, the Seawolf Bundle is broken down to per credit hour. This means students will pay $18.50 per credit hour, or $277.50 per semester for 15 credit hours. This will be included into tuition costs and will result in many savings for students who have to buy a lot of textbooks. Those students who do not feel the Seawolf Bundle is a good value for them can opt out of the program.

Estimated by Financial aid, students spend nearly $500 per semester on textbooks and course materials alone. According to Neil Markley, Associate Vice President of Administration and Finance, this bundle is convenient, affordable, and will help prevent barriers for students who may not be able to