The U.S. Attorney’s Office, San Diego City Attorney’s Office and Aztec Link launched a public awareness campaign Monday on the dangers of fentanyl, featuring San Diego State University football players discussing fentanyl risks, the signs of an overdose, and how to use Narcan to save a life.
The campaign dubbed “Be On The Safe Side,” which was introduced on International Overdose Awareness Day, showcases SDSU athletes walking viewers through fentanyl’s presence in seemingly legitimate pharmaceuticals and its deadly consequences.
Be On The Safe Side is the fourth annual campaign featuring local college athletes and centers on young people looking out for one another to prevent fentanyl abuse and overdoses.
“We don’t want students scared. We want them empowered,” San Diego U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said in a statement. “That means learning about the risks of fentanyl, recognizing the signs of an overdose, and teaching them how to respond to help someone in need.”
The campaign is funded through the proceeds of a $30 million settlement between the City Attorney’s Office and Purdue Pharma. In 2019, the City Attorney’s Office sued Purdue and its owners, the Sackler family, for allegedly fueling the opioid crisis, with the settlement funds going toward opioid addiction treatment, health care and related programs.
San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert said, “One pill can end a life, and the person taking it usually has no idea what is in it. That is what makes awareness so powerful. When Aztec football players speak, young people in San Diego listen. I’m grateful to these student athletes for using their platform this way, and to Aztec Link and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for partnering with us again.”
The public service announcement can be viewed here.