In 2022, there were 920 fentanyl deaths in Colorado. The fentanyl epidemic is sweeping the nation by storm and the number of overdoses continues to soar. In 2022, the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention (Consortium) launched the Keep The Party Safe campaign. This campaign dedicates itself to educating community members and concertgoers while removing any judgment or stigma that may accompany drugs and drug users.
To date, Keep The Party Safe has distributed more than 7,500 single doses of life-saving naloxone and 1,860 fentanyl test strips. We sat down with Hilary Bryant, Program Manager at the Consortium to discuss the importance of this campaign and what it means for the community.
“We wanted to start the conversation around recreational drug use. We’re not condemning anyone’s current situation or lifestyle, we just want to keep you safe.”
– Hilary Bryant
In Colorado, fentanyl contributed to half of the overdose deaths in 2022. The need for harm reduction and overdose prevention is needed now more than ever. With that being said, obtaining naloxone is easier now than ever.
What is naloxone?
We’re so glad you asked. Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. It’s small, so you can throw it in your purse, fanny pack, pocket, whatever works for you! It’s a great thing to keep on you, whether you need it or not. You always want to be prepared. Keep The Party Safe suggests designating a DNU (Designated Non-User) so you’re always safe – no matter where you are. Administering naloxone to someone who isn’t overdosing won’t hurt them.
Do you know how to spot an overdose?
If someone you know has taken drugs and shows ANY of these symptoms: call 911 and administer naloxone immediately.
- Pale face and/or is clammy to the touch
- Their body goes limp
- Their fingernails or lips have a purple or blue color
- They start vomiting or making gurgling noises
- They cannot be awakened or are unable to speak
- Their breathing or heartbeat slows or stops
(Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Keep The Party Safe also encourages the use of fentanyl test strips – which are just as important as naloxone. These test strips allow those who partake to test their drugs for fentanyl before consuming. Taking all the necessary precautions will ensure you, your friends, and everyone around you can stay safe.
If you’ve been to a concert in Denver at Mission Ballroom, Bluebird Theater, Gothic Theater, Ogden Theater, or Fiddler’s Green, there’s a chance you’ve seen some Keep The Party Safe signage around the venues.
That’s because Keep The Party Safe has established a great partnership with AEG to further the campaign’s mission – to bring awareness around fentanyl and safety to concertgoers. In these venues, you’ll find overdose prevention kits hung on the wall with naloxone inside and a small business card with instructions on how to administer it.
To take this partnership one step further, Mission Ballroom employees also received training on recognizing signs of an overdose and how to respond.
Why concerts?
Keep The Party Safe decided to target these concertgoers because of the importance of spreading awareness in the music community. If you’ve ever been to a Colorado concert – or any concert in general – you can’t deny that the sense of community isn’t everywhere you turn. Keep the Party Safe saw an opportunity to bring this education and awareness to the dance floor.
To date, Keep The Party Safe has distributed nearly 7,500 doses of naloxone to concertgoers in the Denver area and has reached tens of thousands more with the campaign messaging. Denver concertgoers have been appreciative and understand why this is necessary. The sad reality is that most of us have been directly impacted by overdose or know someone who has.
Yes, these partnerships are necessary to spread the word about Keep the Party Safe. But what makes these messages even more strong? The people who listen, respond, and share resources on how to be safe while doing drugs.
Ravenscoon recently partnered with Keep the Party Safe ahead of his two-night run at the Ogden Theater in Denver, Colorado. He shared a video on his Instagram talking about how to safely administer naloxone to someone who may be overdosing.
Keep the Party Safe hosted a booth at Ravenscoon’s shows to ensure attendees could learn more about harm reduction and keep each other safe.
The biggest misconception about harm reduction is that it’s enabling. It’s not enabling, it’s keeping people safe and making sure they’re educated about the possible risks.
-Hilary Bryant
How to stay prepared.
It’s the artists and partnerships like these that allow campaigns like this one to reach as many people as possible, but it wouldn’t make an impact if individuals didn’t take action. Be sure to always keep some naloxone and fentanyl test strips close by and follow Keep The Party Safe’s Checklist!
- Bring naloxone
- Designate a NDU
- Know the signs of an overdose
- Have test strips available to test for fentanyl
- If you see someone overdosing, call 911 and administer naloxone
If you live in the city of Denver, you can order naloxone and test strips right to your door – for FREE! If you don’t live in Denver, check out your local harm reduction agency where these resources are often offered for free. You can also place an order at EndOverdose.net or find Narcan over the counter in drugstores. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe this festival season and beyond.
To learn more about Keep The Party Safe, visit their website for digestible, up-to-date information.
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