Public‑health and clinical witnesses told the Joint Committee that Senate Bill S.1422—requiring school districts to stock naloxone, provide nurse‑office access and offer student training—would extend a proven, life‑saving intervention into education settings.

Dr. Sarah Bagley, an addiction medicine physician at Boston Medical Center, and Dr. Jesse Callahan, a pediatrician and adolescent medicine researcher, described research and their clinical experience showing that naloxone (Narcan) prevents fatal overdoses and that youth want and benefit from school‑based training. Bagley recommended two improvements: requiring schools to report on campus overdose events to the Department of Public Health and evaluating overdose education for effectiveness.

Panelists from student harm‑reduction groups—including co‑founders of a Naloxone Outreach and Education Initiative and student trainers—said high school and college students who receive brief training quickly learn to recognize overdoses, carry naloxone, and use it to save lives. Yotam Sivan and Jamie Sanislo described training results and attitude shifts among youth who initially expressed stigma but left sessions prepared to act.

Witnesses and several committee members discussed common questions: whether naloxone access encourages use (witnesses cited research finding no increase in substance use), logistics for storing and tracking naloxone in schools, and the need to pair access with education on recognition, response and Good Samaritan protections.

No formal committee vote on S.1422 was recorded during the hearing.