Saving lives in schools: Naloxone access expands across Colorado

By Alexandra Duncan | Pew Charitable Trusts

State Senator Cleave Simpson explains why making an opioid overdose reversal drug more available matters

Despite declining drug overdose deaths in the U.S., opioids such as fentanyl are still driving most of these fatalities across the country. But naloxone is a lifesaving medication that can help. Any person, even those without medical training, can administer naloxone to someone in need and reverse an opioid overdose.

As a farmer and rancher in rural Colorado, State Senator and Minority Leader Cleave Simpson—a Republican representing District 6, the southwest region covering Alamosa, Durango, Telluride, and other cities—knew the overdose crisis was taking a toll on his community. But when he joined the Colorado Senate in 2021, he realized the devastation had rippled across the state, and that the Legislature needed to act. Last year, Governor Jared Polis (D) signed legislation championed by Senator Simpson that makes naloxone available in school settings.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Help us understand what the overdose crisis looks like in both your district and Colorado today.

I was born and raised in rural Colorado. Five years ago, I didn’t grasp the magnitude of the overdose problem. We often heard anecdotes about families losing people to opioids, but I never would have had a conversation about the dangers of fentanyl. But today, in large part because of fentanyl, rural communities across Colorado are feeling the very real effects of the overdose crisis—and my Senate district is proof of that.

What have you learned about the overdose crisis since being elected?

I don’t mean to oversimplify, but Colorado doesn’t have enough physical space to treat people for substance use disorder. We don’t have a workforce to support them, and we don’t do enough in preventive care. In 2021, the Legislature set aside $550 million to transform the behavioral health field, but that money has not stemmed the tide or improved outcomes for people.

You’ve helped pass legislation to address the overdose crisis. What does H.B. 24-1003 do?

This bill allows schools in Colorado to keep naloxone on site and available to students in need and also makes it available on school buses.

The bill originated with a group of young people in Durango in my district. They lost a fellow student to drugs that were laced with fentanyl, and they felt helpless when he died. But his death was also a motivating force for them.

Why did you push for this bill?

When I first read the bill, my gut was telling me this feels like surrender, like we’re just giving in to this problem of substance use disorder. But I thought about it a bit more, and I realized it’s also our reality. And hearing from these kids who were asking for help—it became easy. I thought, what could be the harm in making naloxone more available to kids who may need it? I think it will help.

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