The fight against the opioid epidemic is expanding across the state.

To address the alarming rate of overdoses, there’s now a push at the Minnesota State Capitol to require free overdose reversal kits in public college dorms in Minnesota.

Every time Emma Gabbert passes the Westgate light rail station in St. Paul, she’s reminded of the time she saved a man’s life in 2023.

“I started administering CPR and doing rescue breaths,” Gabbert said.

That man overdosed, so she stepped in to help, giving him a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose from a Naloxone kit on board.

“After three doses, he came back to life,” Gabbert said.

“It’s just incredible that he was able to be saved by this miracle medication,” said Gabbert. “I had no idea what was going on, but they said ‘Here is the medicine that can save this person’s life,’ and I said ‘Okay.'”

Two years later, Gabbert is now bringing her experience from the light rail to the State Capitol, hoping to require Naloxone in public college dorms across the state.

New legislation would require two doses in residential halls of public colleges in Minnesota, plus include training for residential advisors.

“Addiction is a disease, it is not a choice, and we need to fight this opioid epidemic,” Gabbert said.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, opioids like fentanyl were involved in the majority of drug overdose deaths in 2022. For perspective, in 2018, there were 343 drug-related deaths in Minnesota.

In 2022, that number jumped to 1,031.

“The most recent set of data is the first time we saw a decline in overdose fatalities since 2018,” said Alicia House, executive director of the Steve Rummler Hope Network.

House specializes in overdose prevention and awareness. She believes their work is making a difference.

“Every single person can legally carry and administer Naloxone in the state of Minnesota, so how do we get that into as many hands as possible?” House said.

House says their Naloxone kits are now in more than 200 sites across the state, with North Memorial in Robbinsdale among the newest additions.

“There’s a lot of Greater Minnesota that still needs a site,” House said.

Gabbert had never heard of Naloxone before those heroic actions on the light rail.

“I was feeling a lot of emotions; it was very overwhelming for me,” Gabbert said.

Now, she’s an advocate dedicated to saving lives.

“I’m really proud of her for taking a life-changing moment and making a direct impact,” House said.

Click here for more information on the work of the Steve Rummler Hope Network and to see its Naloxone Access Points map.