Families Against Narcotics and Local Organizations Team Up for Free Narcan Training at Grosse Pointe Bar
Clinton Township, MI: In the midst of an already out-of-control opioid crisis, the presence of fentanyl in today’s drug supply has caused a dramatic rise in the number of overdose deaths. That’s why Families Against Narcotics (FAN), a Macomb County-based nonprofit that compassionately assists individuals and families affected by substance use disorder (SUD), is teaming up with two Grosse Pointe organizations for a unique Narcan® training at a Grosse Pointe bar.
On Monday, January 22nd, at 7:00 pm, FAN—in partnership with the Healthy Grosse Pointe & Harper Woods Coalition and the Family Center of Grosse Pointe & Harper Woods—will be holding a free Narcan training at Rustic Cabins in Grosse Pointe Park. Narcan, a brand name naloxone nasal spray, is a safe medication that can save someone’s life by reversing the effects of an opioid overdose caused by drugs like heroin, prescription painkillers, and fentanyl. Everyone attending the one-hour class will receive a free Narcan kit.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an average of 307 people die of drug overdoses each and every day in the United States. The vast majority of those deaths involve fentanyl or other synthetic opioids, and many overdoses happen in places where people socialize, like restaurants and bars. Unfortunately, no community is immune from the devastating impact of these drugs and it’s important to have Narcan widely available.
“The reason my husband Bobby and I decided to host the Narcan training at the Rustic Cabins is because we felt we could bring in local business people who have the same concerns about the rise in drug overdoses in our community,” Rustic Cabins owner Michelle Conlan said. “We have kids who are in their 20s and both know at least one person who has been affected by an overdose. So, when MaryJo Harris reached out to me it seemed like a great idea. We feel that as parents, and local business owners, it’s important to help in any way we can to try and educate people, so hopefully someone can prevent this from happening to someone they know.”
MaryJo Harris, Director of Programs and Administration for the Family Center of Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods and the Coordinator of the Healthy Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods Coalition, explained the goal of this training. “The Family Center and Healthy Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods Coalition have partnered with FAN to provide Narcan training in our community at a local college, our libraries, and community centers,” she stated. “The goal of offering Narcan training at a bar is to provide the bar employees and community members with the knowledge of how to help someone who may have had an opioid overdose. This further broadens our outreach to other areas of the community that we have not previously engaged.”
This training is also incredibly important because of the harsh reality of today’s opioid-crisis-turned-fentanyl-crisis. “Fentanyl has been found in nearly every type of illicit drug, and witnessing an overdose at a bar, restaurant, concert hall, or local gathering space is becoming a more likely possibility for all of us,” Marissa Engardio, Supervisor of FAN’s RESCUE Overdose Response & Education program emphasized. “The Rustic Cabins event will not only bring our instructor-led training directly to bar patrons, but ensure that attendees leave equipped with Narcan and the confidence to use it. I hope this event will open the doors to similar spaces in Grosse Pointe and surrounding communities. What better place to take positive action during this crisis than our local pubs, where Narcan can often be immediately useful?”
Rustic Cabins will remain open for business during the Narcan training and any patrons in the bar are welcome to attend.
The three organizations hope to team up with other Grosse Pointe-area bars and restaurants to host more trainings in 2024. Families Against Narcotics also provides free naloxone trainings for individuals, groups, or businesses, either in-person or virtually. For more information, or to request a training, visit familiesagainstnarcotics.org/naloxone or call 586.438.8500.

MEDIA CONTACT: Dean Dauphinais
Communications Manager, Families Against Narcotics
586.909.5750 | dean@familiesagainstnarcotics.org About Families Against Narcotics Founded in 2007, Families Against Narcotics (FAN) is a nonprofit organization based in Macomb County with more than 20 chapters throughout Michigan. They work to educate communities statewide about addiction, dispel the stigma associated with the disease, and compassionately support and assist those affected by it. FAN’s initiatives include Hope Not Handcuffs, the COMEBACK Quick Response Team, and the RESCUE Overdose Response & Education program. Find out more at familiesagainstnarcotics.org. And to learn more about RESCUE, go to familiesagainstnarcotics/naloxone.