In 2010, Williams College was crowned one of ten “druggiest” colleges in the United States by The Daily Beast. This odd claim to fame still seems reasonable in 2023. I have seen a wide array of drugs just by stumbling through parties and overhearing random conversations. The College is not a place where the old adage of “work hard, play hard” goes to die. Even so, it remains silent on the matter.
Substance use disorder cannot remain unaddressed by Williams College. The College must increase visibility surrounding substance use disorder by implementing several modes of harm reduction around campus. For instance, the College can make Narcan — an over-the-counter life-saving drug that reverses opioid overdoses intranasally — easily accessible. Narcan training should be readily available to faculty, staff, and students, not just to Campus Safety Services officers. Junior Advisors (JAs), for example, should receive Narcan training during their orientation. Additionally, a safe needle disposal container on campus is a necessary component in harm reduction. Only once Narcan kits are as common as automated external defibrillators (AEDs) — machines that restore heart rhythm — will the culture at the College shift towards one where substance use disorder is less stigmatized. This is an imperative step forward in the face of an ongoing substance use epidemic.
Stigma surrounding substance use disorder greatly impacts one’s ability to navigate support. I worked in a substance use disorder lab this past summer and learned that various research projects struggle to receive funding and come to fruition due to the stigma surrounding substance use. This directly hinders researchers’ ability to give those with substance use disorder proper care and treatment. Stigma manifests in treatment too, as discrimination by healthcare professionals may occur. It leaks into research, quality of care, and mental health, among other facets of everyday life, and is perpetuated when the College remains silent about substance use on campus.
While the College prides itself on giving students tools to become agents of change in the world around them, it does little to educate us about harm reduction on our own campus. How can the next generation of researchers, doctors, or good samaritans interact with their communities without having essential knowledge surrounding substance use and harm prevention?
As mentioned, the College must first make Narcan training more easily available. My personal training was issued by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. I signed up via email, hopped on a Zoom call, and, within a week, I had a Narcan kit delivered to my New York address. Training can be that simple, yet it remains nonexistent on campus. The College must work with local and state organizations, such as the Brien Center — a local organization that provides addiction services — to create accessible training sessions for the larger distribution of Narcan.
No one questions the validity of AEDs in all major buildings on campus, but this campus mostly consists of students between the ages of 17 and 23, a population with little need for AEDs. The College still invests in these devices as means to prevent harm. The same logic that led the College to provide AEDs must be applied to Narcan, especially considering that college students are a high-risk group for developing substance use disorders. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 18.3 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds have used opioids in the past year, and 3.1 percent reported misuse over the last year. Why is Narcan less accessible than AEDs? One can assume that stigma surrounding Narcan and substance use perpetuates a culture of shame that leads to neglect on the College’s behalf. But the stigma attached to substance use disorders should not prevent saving lives.
I have never seen as many drugs as I have here at the College. As I acclimated to a new social group and a rigorous workload, I also had to grapple with this new exposure to a plethora of substances. This experience is not adequately prepared for during JA training. Yes, JAs are able to call for their first-years to get transported, but what if a first-year were to overdose? Why shouldn’t a JA be able to administer Narcan if needed? JAs have a responsibility to serve as point people for one of the College’s most vulnerable populations. As such, JAs must receive Narcan training to ensure that a first-year’s transition to college does not turn fatal.
Needle disposal containers are another key component of harm reduction. Those struggling with substance use disorders may not be ready to receive treatment, and relapse is also a part of the recovery process. Needle disposal containers act as a shield between pathogens transmitted due to needle usage and community members. Contrary to some opinions, needle disposal containers do not encourage the use of substances and propagate disorders; they simply encourage safe practices surrounding needles.
It is impractical to ignore the fact that college students are highly susceptible to substance use disorders. The College must do more to promote conversations around substances and what to do if a dire situation arises. The College would contribute to the overall health and mental wellbeing of students, faculty, and staff alike in distributing Narcan around campus and disrupting the awful silence that has left millions dead because of negligence. As President of the College Maud S. Mandel remarked, the College asks students to “join a global community of people working to change the world together.” Our world is one deeply impacted by substance use disorder, and we must receive proper training to go out and help others in need.
Mariel Baez ’26 is from Springfield, Mass.
