TACO’s UA chapter was founded in the fall of 2022 by Madison Trotter, a junior researcher in neuroscience and cognitive science. Trotter said he learned about the national organization through Instagram and learned more about their mission, which inspired him to set up a chapter.

“The more I read, the more intrigued I became,” said Trotter. “I (thought), ‘People need to know this.'”

According to the Arizona Department of Health, Pima County will have 284 deaths from opioid overdoses in 2022 and 594 deaths from non-fatal opioid overdoses. About 13% of non-fatal overdose events were in people aged 18–24, and his 8% of overdose deaths were in the same age group. Fentanyl is responsible for approximately 64% of nonfatal overdose events in the state in 2022, a 22% increase from 2021.

Before TACO’s parent nonprofit was founded at the University of Southern California in 2020, Trotter said students reported 10 to 12 fentanyl-related overdose deaths a year. But USC’s annual numbers have dwindled to zero since TACO was founded, Trotter said.

TACO’s philosophy is focused on preventing deaths from opioid overdose through data-driven education, overdose response training, and drug testing. What drew Trotter to the program was his unique message of prioritizing his reduction over crisis management. Instead of focusing on emergency life-saving measures, TACO emphasizes the importance of education and the benefits of testing drugs before use.

“Since joining this organization, I’ve realized that saying no doesn’t always work,” Trotter said.

In a short time on UA ​​campuses, TACO has distributed over 300 free fentanyl test kits to help students find out if drugs they use contain fentanyl. These kits have his QR code that, when scanned, shows you how to test for drugs depending on the type of substance.

On Friday, February 17, TACO will host a pop-up event in the early afternoon near the student housing complex on North Tyndall Avenue and East First Street to distribute free test kits to the community.

TACO also advocates for improved drug use education and promotes neutral statistics and data to examine the reality of youth drug use in a non-judgmental way. TACO is intended to help people make informed decisions about drug use, rather than promote stigma around recreational drug use.

Savannah Crowley, UA public health major and TACO vice president, points out the importance of using language that doesn’t promote stigma around drug use to make people feel comfortable asking for help. Did.

“One of the things we focus on in public health is putting people first, like ‘people with addictions’ instead of ‘addictions,'” said Crowley. “It’s all about making sure people are treated fairly and feel safe asking for help, having important conversations, and seeking information.”

TACO actively shares data on various substances through infographic posts on its Instagram page. These bright and colorful infographics shed light on common misconceptions about various drugs and share key facts in an easily digestible format through social media.

“One of the things I love about TACO is that it’s data neutral. It’s neither against nor for,” Trotter said. “It’s like, ‘Here’s the information, it’s up to you to choose what you want to do with it.'”

The organization has also made progress in working with other student groups on campus, including the Women in Medicine and Science club and the Psychedelic Medicine Radar newsletter. On January 25, TACO gave a presentation to WIMS members on their mission at his weekly meeting, explaining statistics on fentanyl and the impact of the opioid epidemic on the college-age population.

Taylor Veschio, president of WIMS and member of TACO, said it was important for members, especially prospective health care providers, to be aware of this information and be able to hear it in a safe environment.

TACO will be focusing its efforts on the Greek Life community this semester. They are the group of students who believe they will benefit most from their educational efforts. Nick Ward, TACO’s head of outreach at his UA, emphasized the importance of enabling conversations about drug use and how to improve safety between fraternities and sororities.

“Changing stigma allows people to have open conversations,” Ward said. “That’s definitely what I’ve noticed, and what I’m trying to dig into now is that there’s this huge gap in the conversation between fraternities and sororities.

But the hurdle facing TACO was funding. They hope to improve aspects of their organization to continue providing students with access to free test strips and give back to their non-profit parent chapters.

Ward said TACO plans to partner with Duffl, a company that hires college students to deliver refreshments to other students on campus, and hopes to work with the company to deliver fentanyl test strips. Ward said a similar initiative was adopted at his USC, and the test strip eventually became one of his most popular items on the duffel.

However, in order for Duffl to be able to carry test strips in UA for free, TACO needs funds to supply enough strips for distribution.

“We are looking at raising more money, but the pushback is on the financial end,” Ward said. from the organization.”

TACO members hope that future fundraising and outreach efforts will not only help fund more test strips for distribution on campus, but will also allow the UA chapter to give back to national nonprofits. This group hopes to attend UA’s Safe Spring Break Symposium this semester. This symposium is an annual program for students dedicated to promoting smart decision-making during college spring break.

With many plans underway for the semester, Trotter is eager to continue spreading TACO’s message and making an impact in the fight against the opioid epidemic.

“At the end of the day, my favorite message is that everyone deserves a chance to wake up in the morning, no matter what decision they make and what opportunity they take,” she said. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to be safe and educated about what they do.”