#overdose-prevention

#overdose-prevention

On the night TJ McGee overdosed from a mixture of drugs and alcohol in his freshman year at UC Berkeley, his friends found him passed out in the hallway by their shared dorm room. The roommates tried to help, but when McGee stopped breathing, they called 911. McGee survived and, racked with guilt over what happened that night, committed to confronting his substance-use problem.

"Unfortunately, we get to know a lot of parents who have lost," said Michelle. The couple lost their son Micah Jr. to a fentanyl overdose in 2019.

"Having free public health supplies available to residents seven days a week through the self-service Community Health Stations makes it easier to access important products that support health and save lives," said Barbara Ferrer, director of the county public health department.

Dorsey said both recovery and harm reduction have a role to play. But in the years-long battle to reduce overdose deaths and outdoor drug use, these two camps have become political lightning rods.