- Clinton spoke after seeing the critically acclaimed off-Broadway show on substance use and recovery
- Producers believe this distribution of lifesaving naloxone is the first of its kind for a Broadway or off-Broadway show
- This distribution was part of the Clinton Global Initiative’s work to fight overdose deaths across the U.S.
By CGI Staff
This week, Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton led a distribution of the lifesaving drug naloxone at a performance of the off-Broadway show “The White Chip,” Sean Daniels’ autobiographical comedic play about his struggles with substance use and his journey to and in recovery.
“Millions of Americans suffer in shame and silence with substance use disorders and addiction,” Clinton told the audience following the show. “Where we at the Clinton Foundation have chosen to focus our efforts is to try to ensure that no one dies of an overdose, because any of us could save a life if we have Narcan.”
As part of the show on February 22, Clinton announced a donation of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone to everyone in the audience.
“We’re so grateful to partner with the Clinton Foundation to be able to make sure that we can give to everybody in our audience Narcan,” playwright Sean Daniels remarked after the show, “a life-saving medicine that can be given out at any given moment to someone who’s having an overdose, that has no ill effects if you give it to the wrong person at the wrong time.”
Upon leaving the show, every audience member received a box of Narcan, the nasal spray version of naloxone, provided by CGI’s partners.
Clinton urged, “We are lucky enough to live in a state where you can get Narcan over the counter. So my hope for this evening is that you both take the Narcan that could help you save someone’s life, and that you talk to your communities about how they too can save someone’s life.”
The Clinton Global Initiative’s Overdose Response Network has worked for over a decade to expand free access to lifesaving naloxone, working with partners to distribute to recovery residences, schools and universities, first responders, and community organizations. Since 2012, CGI and partners have distributed more than 900,000 doses of naloxone across 25 states.
In addition to CGI’s overdose prevention work, the Overdose Response Network also works with groups of faith leaders across many different traditions in communities across the country, to address the overdose and addiction crisis. Upon completing the program, these faith leaders are armed with the knowledge, skills, resources, and perhaps most important, the confidence that is needed to effectively address substance use disorders in their local communities.