6 University of Colorado students overdose on tainted drugs, Boulder police says
Six University of Colorado students overdosed on tainted drugs over the weekend, according to the Boulder Police Department.
They were members of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, which has a house on Pennsylvania Avenue and is not a recognized Greek chapter at the school. They were treated with the nasal spray Narcan on Saturday night and at least some of them were taken to the hospital.
All six are now recovering.
Investigators said they are unsure at this time what substance the drugs were tainted with.
A group called End Overdose that advocates for the use of Narcan has a chapter on campus. The drug fights overdoses as they are happening.
"You have to have these resources whether you use drugs or not," said Sophie Kennedy, a CU senior helps run the campus chapter. "You might have a friend that will, and the more people we can get the word out to the more people that can help partition these resources."
Kappa Sigma hasn't been a recognized part of the Greek system at the university for about two decades, according to the university.
The university released a statement about the situation, calling it "devastating" and issuing a warning about the dangers of drug abuse.
While this news is devastating to the University of Colorado Boulder campus community, we are thankful that all students are expected to recover.
CU Boulder's Division of Student Affairs, Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) and the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA) are working together to communicate with those directly impacted and provide support. We are also working closely with the Boulder Police Department as it continues its criminal investigation. CU Boulder's Division of Student Affairs will determine whether any necessary disciplinary action will be taken.
Student safety is our top priority, and CU Boulder regularly communicates about harm reduction and alcohol and drug education with students through CU Boulder Today, CU Boulder social media channels and our family newsletters. We provide many training sessions, presentations and programs aimed at educating students about alcohol and drug use and safe decision-making. The campus also partners with Boulder County Public Health around education and awareness.
