Steuben Prevention Coalition’s Opioid Committee observes Black Balloon Day
CORNING, N.Y. (WENY) -- In light of Black Balloon Day, the Steuben Prevention Coalition’s Opioid Committee was at Corning Community College to educate people about substance-use disorder. Anyone could come out on Monday to learn more about overdose resources available to Steuben County residents.
“It means everything,” Brandon Beuter, Opioid Committee Co-chair, said, adding, “It's a way to commemorate people that (are) lost and bring awareness to the epidemic in our country.”
The Committee gave out Narcan nasal spray, fentanyl test strips, and drug disposal kits. They also provided a list of family support navigation information about fentanyl, counterfeit pills, and opioid overdose.
People could also become certified in opioid overdose prevention and learn how to administer Narcan to someone overdosing.
“We are just trying to bring awareness and get as much information out there to the public as possible and try to make it as normal as possible for people to see things like Narcan,” Beuter said.
Beuter has lost over 50 friends to opioid overdose. He hopes sharing the life-saving resources with the community will bring additional awareness to the cause he's fighting.
“People have that stigma in their mind about people and addiction,” Beuter said, adding, “We're just trying to break that so people can understand.”
Steuben County is working to collect data from residents about opioid abuse locally. People can provide information in a survey online. People can fill out that survey online by clicking here.