Students may wonder how to best respond if they find someone who appears unconscious due to drug or alcohol use. The Chronicle compiled University guidance on recommended steps to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Student wellness representatives emphasized looking for signs that someone is experiencing alcohol poisoning or opioid overdose, seeking immediate help and understanding amnesty policies.
“When a person’s health and/or safety is/are threatened or appear(s) to be in jeopardy, immediate action should be taken to prevent injury/illness/danger,” wrote Student Wellness Associate Director Sara Campbell in a Nov. 1 email to The Chronicle.
As first steps, Campbell listed notifying the Duke University Police Department at 919-684-2444, dialing 911 and, if on campus, contacting the Housing and Residence Life staff member on-call. She noted that HRL, DUPD or EMS authorities may then ask about “events leading to” the incident to gain context.
“Students should remember that they are part of a community and looking out for each other is essential in promoting a safer, healthier environment for everyone,” Campbell wrote. She also recommended that students “stay calm and act quickly” and remember the signs of alcohol poisoning or opioid overdose.
Signs of alcohol poisoning
Campbell pointed to the acronym “CUPS” as a tool to remember signs of alcohol poisoning:
“C — Clammy or cool skin: Indicates shock or poor circulation.
U — Unconsciousness: A person is unresponsive or unable to wake up.
P — Puking: Vomiting uncontrollably, especially while unconscious, is a dangerous sign.
S — Slow breathing: Breathing less than eight times per minute or pauses of 10 seconds or more.”
Campbell explained that alcohol poisoning can present “a range of critical signs” affecting “breathing and consciousness.”
“Since alcohol poisoning depresses the central nervous system, it can suppress respiratory functions, sometimes fatally,” she wrote. “Immediate medical attention is critical if someone shows any combination of these symptoms.”
Signs of opioid overdose
Campbell shared the acronym “BLUE” to help recall signs of an opioid overdose:
“B – Breathing: Slow, shallow or stopped breathing. This is one of the most critical signs of overdose.
L – Lips and Fingernails: Blue or purplish color, due to lack of oxygen.
U – Unresponsive: The person cannot be woken up or is in a deep state of unconsciousness.
E – Eyes: Pinpoint pupils, which is a distinctive sign of opioid use and overdose.”
According to Campbell, students should administer the opioid overdose reversal drug Naloxone, which can be found in a purple box labeled “ONEbox” in each dorm on campus. A list of the specific locations of ONEboxes on East and West Campus is available here.
The kits include two doses of Narcan, in addition to a face shield, gloves and wipes. Once a user pulls the tab on the box, an instruction video starts playing within three seconds.
Amnesty policies
The University has an amnesty policy that applies to students who seek medical assistance for themselves or others.
“Formal disciplinary action for a violation of possession or use of alcohol and other drugs will not be taken against students for whom medical assistance is sought, those who seek medical assistance for themselves or others or those who are assessed and/or transported by EMS,” wrote Aaron Lash Jr., associate dean of students for the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, in a Nov. 1 email to The Chronicle.
According to Lash, amnesty is considered part of the Health and Safety Initiative within the University’s alcohol and drugs policy. He clarified that “students or student groups who are alleged to have violated other University policies are not entitled to amnesty for their non-alcohol or other drug-related misconduct.”
After a student is transported by EMS or receives medical treatment, the student receives an amnesty notice letter. The letter includes a summary of the “non-disciplinary amnesty policy” and a student’s right to request a community standard adviser — a staff member or student trained to answer questions about the amnesty policy.
The letter will include details about a non-disciplinary amnesty meeting, after which the student may be required to complete steps such as attending an alcohol and drug education program, an educational assignment or a treatment referral.
“If a student or student group fails to meet with the designated specialist, chooses not to participate in the outlined expectations or programs or exhibits a pattern of concerning behavior with alcohol and/or other substances, the student or student group may be subject to formal disciplinary action for failure to comply and/or subsequent policy violation(s),” Lash wrote.
According to Lash, the amnesty process remains the same for students who are under the legal age for consumption of alcohol or other substances. He noted that the OSCCS reserves the right to notify parents or guardians in the event of an EMS transport of a student under the age of 21, and that parents or guardians will be notified for both EMS assessment and transport of students under the age of 18.
Campbell further pointed to North Carolina’s Good Samaritan Law, which encourages people to seek help in the event of alcohol poisoning or opioid overdose without fearing legal trouble.
“If you call 911 to assist someone experiencing an overdose or severe alcohol-related symptoms, you must state your name when you call,” she said. “You and the person in need are generally protected from certain drug and alcohol-related charges, like possession of small amounts of drugs or paraphernalia or underage alcohol possession.”
Resident assistants
Resident assistants serve as an additional resource for students while in their dorms.
During training, RAs review response procedures for substance-related emergencies with DUPD and have conversations with fire and safety officials, according to Widline Senatus, a master’s student at the School of Medicine and a resident assistant for Brown Residence Hall. RAs are also taught how to administer Naloxone.
Senatus emphasized the importance of calling 911 to get medical attention as soon as possible if a student has passed out.
“A lot of residents are sometimes scared of the consequences that might come if they step forward,” Senatus said. “But at the end of the day, it’s somebody’s life [that] could be on the line. So it really is pressed [by the administration] for them to seek assistance from elsewhere.”
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