Throughout the month of September, those passing by Somerville City Hall may notice the 14 purple flags flanking its front lawn. Each flag honors a Somerville resident lost to substance use disorder in 2023. Last year, 22 flags were placed, representing the 22 overdose deaths that occurred in Somerville in 2022. The city’s end goal is to have zero flags outside the city hall one day.
September is National Recovery Month, and Somerville is regularly hosting naloxone distribution events and training sessions throughout the month. Naloxone, more commonly known by its brand name Narcan, is an easy-to-use nasal spray that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
Han Hogan-Rigg, a harm reduction community health worker for the City of Somerville, shared further details on the city’s efforts.
“With these [events], we give pretty brief trainings [on how to administer Narcan]. You can do it in about three minutes, because Narcan is actually pretty easy to administer… [They’re also an attempt to] spread awareness to people that even if you’re not someone who uses drugs, you might know someone who does without knowing it,” Hogan-Rigg said.
Naloxone is just one component of the readiness kits given out at the distribution events.
“We also give out fentanyl test strips at these events — which are important for people who use stimulants, to make sure it hasn’t been contaminated — and CPR masks, which provide a little bit of hygienic protection for your mouth if you're giving CPR,” Hogan-Rigg said.
Alex Collins, an assistant professor in the Department of Community Health at Tufts with an academic focus on substance use, shared her belief that observing National Recovery Month can have a meaningful impact on destigmatizing substance use disorder.
“I think when we are collective in our action like this, people are able to see that substance use and the overdose crisis really impacts so many people. It’s not just in isolated pockets, but a lot of people have been touched by the overdose crisis and many lives have been lost,” Collins said.
While overdose deaths in Somerville decreased between 2022 and 2023, the drug use crisis is still very real. In 2021, as part of a multi-pronged approach to combat the opioid epidemic, the city conducted a needs assessment and feasibility study, which recommended the establishment of a supervised consumption site.
According to the city’s website, “SCSs are harm reduction interventions that have been implemented in more than 10 countries, including Canada, Australia, and across Europe, to prevent fatal overdoses and connect people to services. People who use drugs are allowed to consume substances in the SCS under the supervision of staff who can intervene in the event of an overdose or other medical emergency.”
While the topic remains controversial, proponents of SCSs argue for the potential of harm reduction. First and foremost, an SCS would aim to keep people alive and provide them with help when they are ready for treatment.
Collins argued that a solution for the overdose crisis can only be reached through a comprehensive reassessment of domestic policy.
“We need better housing. We need better access to economic stabilization. We need access to education,” she said. “These are all really key components of just meeting people’s basic needs, and I think all of them can intersect in ways that can address the overdose crisis.”
Sophomore Max Turnacioglu has hope that Somerville’s observance of national recovery month will bring about substantive change in the community’s perception of the opioid crisis.
“I think something like [Narcan distribution events] can only have a positive effect,” he said. “The limit of it is how much Narcan is being distributed and whether it’s going to the right places, but just having it available to people is one of the first steps because that can be all it takes to save someone’s life.”
The next naloxone distribution event will take place Thursday, Sept. 19, from 2 to 6 p.m. at 165 Broadway in Somerville. All who are able are encouraged to attend.
