© 2024 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Recovery advocates are handing out Narcan to Pinellas businesses and beachgoers during spring break

A man inside a liquor store hands the man working behind the counter a Narcan kit.
Stephanie Colombini
/
WUSF
Andy Francis from the Recovery Epicenter Foundation and other advocates are distributing Narcan to businesses and visitors along the Pinellas beaches this spring break travel season.

Some spring break travelers may take drugs, not realizing they're contaminated with the deadly opioid fentanyl. Advocates hope equipping more people with Narcan will save lives.

Lots of travelers come to Florida this time of year to enjoy their spring break on the beach, and some may decide to use substances during that time.

Advocates for addiction recovery are trying to promote safety by distributing free Narcan to beachgoers and businesses in Pinellas County.

Narcan is the brand name for the overdose reversal drug, naloxone.

People hanging out on a beach
Stephanie Colombini
/
WUSF
Sometimes Francis and his colleagues distribute Narcan directly to individuals hanging out at the Gulf beaches.

For weeks, Andy Francis with the Recovery Epicenter Foundation and local partners have been combing the beaches, offering the medicine to young people and workers at nearby businesses, like convenience stores and bars.

One recent afternoon in Indian Rocks Beach, Francis drove from business to business, talking with owners about whether they’d be willing to make Narcan a part of their first aid kits.

Man holds a box of Narcan doses outside his car
Stephanie Colombini
/
WUSF
Francis and his colleagues have distributed hundreds of Narcan doses this year.

He explained Pinellas County has some of the highest drug overdose death rates in the state. He also talked about how naloxone works to curb them.

“What this does is within five minutes of somebody experiencing an opioid overdose, you can administer this medication and it stops the overdose and saves their life,” Francis told one bar manager.

Narcan
Stephanie Colombini
/
WUSF
Narcan, the brand name for the drug naloxone, is a nasal spray that can reverse overdoses.

As a peer outreach specialist, Francis does this kind of outreach year-round to help people struggling with addiction.

But this spring break push is also about catching folks who may just use drugs occasionally or even for the first time.

“Drugs you wouldn't even think have fentanyl, now have fentanyl in them,” explained Francis. “So even recreational drug users or kids who might just be here going to the beach looking to have a good time, they may be dealing with a very powerful opioid that could potentially kill them and have no idea.”

Francis also educates business owners about Florida’s Good Samaritan law, which shields people from liability who try in good faith to help someone experiencing an emergency like a drug overdose. 

Man sits at a bar. Hands of a bartender not in frame hold a box of Narcan.
Stephanie Colombini
/
WUSF
Some business owners were wary about accepting the free Narcan, but most took Francis up on the offer and thanked him.

During his recent outreach efforts in Indian Rocks Beach, a few were still wary and declined the Narcan. But most people accepted it, and some even noted they’ve known customers or loved ones who’ve overdosed.

Francis is in addiction recovery, so for him, this is personal.

“Every life matters, even people who are actively struggling with addiction every day and I'm a personal testament to the fact that people deserve second, third, fourth, fifth chances,” he said.

Since the year began, Francis said he and his partners have distributed more than 800 doses of Narcan to hundreds of businesses and individuals in the county.

The spring break initiative wraps up at the end of the month.

I cover health care for WUSF and the statewide journalism collaborative Health News Florida. I’m passionate about highlighting community efforts to improve the quality of care in our state and make it more accessible to all Floridians. I’m also committed to holding those in power accountable when they fail to prioritize the health needs of the people they serve.
You Count on Us, We Count on You: Donate to WUSF to support free, accessible journalism for yourself and the community.