As Orlando’s Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) welcomed hundreds of thousands of attendees to Tinker Field from November 8th-10th, Project Opioid was once again on-site offering free naloxone nasal spray, commonly known as Narcan, to festivalgoers.
The organization, dedicated to saving lives in the face of Central Florida’s opioid crisis, aimed to equip attendees with this safe, proven, and effective overdose reversal tool as part of its mission to prevent accidental deaths from fentanyl-laced substances.
Project Opioid’s naloxone training and distribution efforts are made possible by the support and partnership of the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Orange County Drug Free Coalition, and other key community organizations. Throughout the event, Project Opioid volunteers were stationed outside the main entrance, distributing naloxone at EDC Orlando and educating attendees about the hidden dangers of fentanyl contamination in recreational drugs.
“While EDC maintains a strict zero-tolerance drug policy, we recognize that accidental overdoses can happen, and we’re here to equip people with the tools to save a life if the unthinkable occurs,” said Andrae Bailey, founder of Project Opioid. “No one should lose their life to an accidental overdose. By distributing naloxone directly to attendees, we’re aiming to provide an immediate, potentially life-saving resource in critical moments.”
Naloxone, a safe, easy-to-administer nasal spray, can quickly reverse an opioid overdose, and its presence can be critical in emergencies. In 2023, Project Opioid distributed hundreds of doses on the festival’s first day, arming attendees with the ability to act if they encounter an overdose situation.
At last year’s event, volunteers found that many young people were unfamiliar with naloxone or the extent of the fentanyl crisis, underscoring the importance of this outreach.
