Narcan, used to counter the effects of opioid overdoses, is sold over-the-counter at a public pharmacy.
Narcan, used to counter the effects of opioid overdoses, is sold over-the-counter at a public pharmacy. Credit: Shutterstock / Darwin Brandis

In an effort to combat overdose death, UT San Antonio has launched a new program to distribute free naloxone and provide overdose response training on university campuses across the state.

Naloxone, frequently sold under the brand name Narcan, is an opioid antagonist, which means it blocks the effects of opioids on the brain, effectively reversing overdoses. It’s become an essential lifesaving tool during the opioid crisis.

The UT San Antonio program, called Naloxone Texas, is managed by the school and the Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders of its UT Health San Antonio branch. The group works with the university to provide easy access to substance abuse and mental health resources. 

“Naloxone is more than a medication. It’s a tool that empowers students, friends and communities to save lives,” Naloxone Texas Director Tara E. Karns-Wright, a psychology professor at UT San Antonio, said in an emailed statement. “At Naloxone Texas, we believe every college campus should be equipped with the knowledge and resources to respond to an opioid overdose.”

Naloxone Texas receives federal grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and from the Texas Legislature.

Naloxone Texas will appear at upcoming events on Alamo City campuses, including San Antonio College’s Chalk the Walk, 1819 N. Main Ave., at 10 a.m. Sept. 18, and the Alamo Colleges’ Ready to Work Fairs, 610 SW 41st St. in the WETC Building, at 9 a.m. Oct. 2 and 8. 

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This article appears in Sep 3-17, 2025.

Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current. He holds degrees from Trinity University and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative...