Bar Staff Are on the Front Lines of the Opioid Epidemic. But Who Is There to Support Them?

"One day that month, two men entered the bar. One asked for a cup of water. As Diepholz stepped outside for a cigarette, he peered in and saw one of the two men slumped over some books, snoring. Diepholz has struggled with substance use in the past, and has carried Narcan for years. He jumped into action: He approached the two men, explained what the Narcan did, administered it, and counted to 10."

"When the snoring man didn't wake up, he called an ambulance, and emergency responders arrived within minutes. "I saw the emergency workers helping him with urgency, and then that urgency kind of left," he says. "They slowly put him in the ambulance and drove away without the lights on." It was obvious that the customer had died in the bar, even after Diepholz's best attempts to save his life."

Benjamin Diepholz has 18 years of experience in the bar and restaurant industry and currently works at a kava bar in Asheville. One September day a customer collapsed and later died despite Diepholz administering Narcan and calling emergency services. Emergency responders initially acted with urgency but then appeared to lose urgency as they transported the body. Diepholz, who has personal experience with substance use, struggled emotionally after the incident and sought therapy. Stigma around substance dependency in the hospitality industry affects staff training and leaves workers without proper support following workplace overdoses.

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