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Commission hears citywide overdose-prevention campaign aimed at nightlife venues; DPH and EC report national interest
Summary
San Francisco's Entertainment Commission and Department of Public Health described a campaign that distributes naloxone, fentanyl test strips and training to nightlife venues; officials said the program has distributed hundreds of naloxone doses and attracted White House interest to model the effort nationally.
San Francisco’s Entertainment Commission and the Department of Public Health (DPH) presented an overdose-prevention campaign focused on the nightlife industry and reported measurable distribution and outreach since launch.
DPH representative Eileen Loughran reviewed local and national overdose trends, noting a sharp rise in fentanyl-related deaths and that fentanyl was involved in 81% of San Francisco’s fatal overdoses in 2023. Loughran framed the campaign’s message plainly: “Preventing overdoses is easy, it’s safe, it’s very simple, and it’s legal.”
Dylan Rice, representing the commission’s campaign partners, said the initiative seeks to address safety both inside venues and in adjacent public spaces through trainings, a resource website, in-person sessions, and distribution of naloxone and fentanyl test strips. The commission reported distributing more than 264 naloxone doses and thousands of test strips at outreach events and training more than 225 staff and nightlife workers in 2023–24.
Rice and DPH highlighted partnerships with nightlife ambassadors — including drag performers who ran training videos that gained substantial online reach — and collaborations with venues such as The Stud, Oasis, and El Rio. The campaign’s social and media outreach produced local coverage and increased requests for trainings and supplies via overdoseprevention@sfdph.org.
Officials said the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy invited San Francisco to share its strategy as a model in a national challenge; Rice said the city will register the campaign and participate in that effort.
Commissioners thanked DPH and the Entertainment Commission staff and urged continued outreach to venue staff. The commission said this work complements enforcement and permitting efforts by helping venues prevent and respond to overdoses.
The presentation closed with commissioners and law enforcement noting frequent naloxone use and the importance of industry-wide readiness; the commission recommended continued support and tracking of outreach and supply distribution.
