Topeka, Kansas — Kansas lawmakers are weighing legislation that would require public schools to stock naloxone and provide fentanyl prevention education as concerns grow over youth overdose deaths linked to the synthetic opioid.
House Bill 2489 would mandate that schools maintain an adequate supply of naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, and make it available for emergency use. The proposal also calls for fentanyl abuse prevention education for students in grades 9 through 12, with the Kansas State Board of Education tasked with developing age-appropriate guidance that could be integrated into existing drug prevention programs.
Supporters of the bill, including parents, first responders, and educators, testified that fentanyl has become a persistent threat in Kansas communities. Josh Magaha, a Kansas City firefighter, said he has provided overdose prevention education to roughly 15,000 people since 2018 and argued that wider access to naloxone has contributed to fewer fatalities. He told lawmakers that every school where he has presented has experienced at least one overdose incident.
Data from the Kansas State Child Death Review Board shows that 48 children died from fentanyl-related causes between 2020 and 2023, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all child drug-related deaths during that period.
Some education advocates raised concerns about the bill’s language allowing nonmedical school staff to administer naloxone on a voluntary basis. Republican Rep. Pat Proctor said the measure reflects the growing impact of overdoses in local communities and schools.
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