When life-saving meets nightlife! This August, the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the city’s Entertainment Commission are teaming up with beloved drag artists to bring overdose awareness and prevention right into the heart of the city’s vibrant entertainment scene.
As part of a campaign aligned with Overdose Awareness Week and International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31, these partners are ramping up their efforts to educate San Francisco’s nightlife community on detecting and responding to overdoses.
The initiative includes training sessions on how to administer the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone and use fentanyl test strips, aiming to address the city’s overdose crisis directly.
“Overdose education is important for everyone to know and understand because someone having the knowledge can save a life while emergency services are on the way,” said drag queen Nicki Jizz. “Overdoses can be prevented with the right education and a dose of naloxone.”
The campaign’s roots trace back to 2022, with SFDPH and the Entertainment Commission hosting overdose prevention trainings at nightlife venues and creating instructional content on naloxone use.
In August 2023, they partnered with Bay Area drag queen Kochina Rude to pilot outreach events at Oasis and El Rio. This year, they continue their mission with Jizz, a BIPOC artist and overdose prevention advocate who is working along with Rude.
“The Entertainment Commission is excited to partner again with SFDPH and local drag artists on this critical outreach,” said Entertainment Commission executive director Maggie Weiland. “We are also delighted that this work elevates San Francisco’s world-renowned drag community and uses the artistry of drag to convey the message: naloxone saves lives.”
With more than 75% of overdose deaths in San Francisco linked to fentanyl, the distribution of naloxone and fentanyl test strips is crucial. Since January 2023, SFDPH has distributed over 300 naloxone kits to nightlife venues and provided in-person training to more than 200 individuals. This year, 1,200 fentanyl testing strips have been distributed across six venues.
“This work saves lives,” said Eileen Loughran, director of overdose prevention at SFDPH. “Fentanyl is deadly and it is often present in recreational drugs unbeknownst to the user. It is important that everyone knows how to save a person from accidental overdose.”
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