Notebook? Check. Pencil? Check. Narcan...Check?

MIAMI— High school students handing out a lifesaving overdose medication isn’t something you see every day. But for these South Florida teens, spreading knowledge about the dangers of fentanyl is just another Monday. 

Naloxone, a life-saving overdose reversal drug more widely known as Narcan, has recently become more available and widespread due to the growing number of fentanyl related overdoses in the U.S., especially in South Florida. The drug was approved for over-the-counter use in 2023. 

According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdoses in the U.S. are now on the decline. Many experts are crediting the spread of Narcan.

“Awareness is our main goal. We want to get as many teens as we can to carry Narcan around with them. We want it to be as normal as carrying around an Epipen or wearing a seatbelt, something you do without realizing,” said Gabrielle Lieberman, 18. 

Lieberman, alongside Stella McLaney, 18, are the two Miami-Dade County high school alumni who started an organization centered around drug education and Narcan accessibility. And while fentanyl overdoses are dropping, their work is far from over. Since moving on to college, they’ve entrusted two South Florida high school students to keep their organization alive and grow it into a nationwide movement. 

McLaney graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in May and now attends the University of Florida. Lieberman graduated from Ransom Everglades High School and now attends the University of Michigan. 

The pair came to know each other through the friendship of McLaney’s cousin and Lieberman’s brother, who began advocating at the school district level for the legalization of Narcan in schools back in 2019, a year when there were more than 70,000 overdose deaths in America. By 2023, that number went up to 110,000, about 70% of which was due to fentanyl.

At the time, McLaney’s cousin contacted state Sen. Jason Pizzo, a Democrat from North Miami Beach, asking for a meeting to discuss the group’s proposal. Three years later, in 2022, Senate Bill 544 was filed and passed. Sen. Pizzo credits their efforts as a stepping stone for the bill to be signed into law.  

While schools are now permitted to keep Narcan on hand, students cannot carry it while on campus. 

Lieberman and McLaney noticed that while Narcan was now allowed in schools, their peers had no idea what it was. The two set a goal of educating their peers on fentanyl and the life-saving treatment for those who may mistakenly stumble upon it.

While they didn't know anyone first-hand who had overdosed on fentanyl, they saw the rise in their area. Through stories and news articles, the pair realized that many of the teens falling victim weren't “bad” kids. They were honors students, team captains, and student leaders. 

Lieberman and McLaney’s goal was to take a proactive step. "We want to reach them before someone at our school dies," said McLaney. 

Lieberman noticed that as a student with ADHD, classmates would often approach her to ask if she had any Vyvanse or Adderall. 

"If they're willing to ask me, who else are they willing to ask?" Lieberman said. 

With the goal of promoting their message, McLaney and Lieberman created an Instagram account, @fentanylSAFE, and a website, fentanylSAFE.org. The acronym S.A.F.E. stands for Students Advocating Fentanyl Education.

High schools in Miami-Dade County have also begun a partnership with Fentanyl Fathers, an organization started by the fathers of teens who fell victim to fentanyl poisoning, and South Florida Opioid Alliance (SFOA), an organization that aims to educate about fentanyl and distribute Narcan. 

When schools in their area began to have assemblies with the organizations, Lieberman and McLaney were invited to speak and became a not-for-profit.  

The pair also started an ambassador program, where they encourage other students to join them.  S.A.F.E. also began holding Zoom calls with trainees and ambassadors, giving them resources to educate others and host their own events. 

The program partners with SFOA, which provides them with free Narcan, allowing the program to have Narcan distribution events outside school. 

The organization has attracted the attention of many students, some simply looking to help and become more involved in their community, others with more personal connections. 

"A girl reached out to us who lost her father to fentanyl, and no one talks about it. So someone like that, she wants a platform to share her story. She's grateful that she came across us," McLaney said. 

Now, McLaney’s cousin, Lily Grodin, 15, a sophomore at MBSH, and Julian Scherer, 16, a sophomore at NSU University School in Davie, have taken over the organization at the executive level. 

“I always knew I was going to be involved somehow,” Grodin said. “Seeing Stella talk about it, seeing how passionate she was, that’s what really flipped the switch for me.” 

Grodin and fellow MBSH students started a club at their school, forming S.A.F.E.'s first official chapter. The organization now has two additional chapters, one at a high school in North Florida, and another in Michigan. Grodin and Scherer are pushing for the opening of more clubs and chapters across the country. 

According to Grodin, the organization has grown substantially since Lieberman and McLaney graduated, and she and Scherer have plans to expand it substantially.

S.A.F.E. now has around 200 students involved, between club members and ambassadors.

“We want S.A.F.E. to go beyond our schools, and we want to grow it into a nationwide movement really,” said Scherer. “It’s about giving all of us the tools and information to make the right choices, and supporting one another so that hopefully we’ll save a life.” 

Scherer and Grodin have a tabling event planned at Temple Beth Shalom in Miami Beach for Mitzvah Day on Feb. 23, a special day dedicated to doing good deeds in the community. At the event, they will be distributing Narcan and spreading information about fentanyl. 

“I know it’s going to go super far,” Schere said. “ I’m really excited for the future of S.AF.E. and how we’re going to grow.”