Penn State Fayette to host opioid awareness presentation Oct. 30

LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. — The Outreach and Continuing Education unit at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus invites community members of all ages to attend an educational presentation on the opioid epidemic on Monday, Oct. 30.

There were 4,642 fatal drug overdoses reported in Pennsylvania in 2016, marking a 37 percent increase from the previous year. Fayette, Westmoreland, Greene and Washington counties rank among the top 20 Pennsylvania counties with the highest overdose rate per 100,000 people.

The presentation will divide attendees into two groups to highlight pertinent early-intervention information for adults and students, respectively.

Adult attendees will learn the early warning signs of opioid addiction, while student attendees will learn the role of peer pressure in opioid use. Both groups will address misconceptions about addiction — what it looks like and who is vulnerable.

Attendees will reconvene in the Magerko Auditorium to observe a simulated overdose and learn how and when to administer the overdose intervention medication Narcan. Presenters will then open the floor to questions.

The presentation, set for 6 p.m. in the Community Center on the Fayette campus, will take approximately one hour. It is free and open to the public. To RSVP for the presentation, email [email protected].

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