Overcoming the stigma: Local program works to make naloxone more accessible

JULY 11, 2021 | By Brandon A. Dorfman

With Philadelphia’s “Hot Vax Summer” in full swing and restaurants back open for business, professional chef Aya Iwatani is steadfast when it comes to personal protective equipment — in this case, naloxone and fentanyl test strips. She lost several friends to an overdose during the past 12 months, prompting Iwatani to provide harm reduction education and resources within the city’s food and beverage community. That work remains more vital than ever in light of several recent deaths caused by cocaine tainted with fentanyl that made its way around the city’s service industry employees. Now, Iwatani and her friends feel a new sense of urgency in addition to the collective trauma and economic anxiety they shared throughout the pandemic.

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