The Substance Misuse and Addiction Resource of Tennessee (SMART Initiative), a program of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service (IPS), has partnered with Gibson Gives—the charitable foundation for Gibson, the iconic and leading global instrument brand—to place ONEbox opioid emergency response kits in Knoxville music venues.

Since January, the Gibson Gives’ Training and Empowering Musicians to Prevent Overdose (TEMPO) Nashville Live Music Venue Program has been offering ONEbox kits to 72 live music venues in the Music City metro area. The ONEbox opioid emergency response kits contain two doses of the opioid reversal medication naloxone (as Kloxxado), as well as personal protective equipment and video instructions that are activated when Onebox is opened.

“Our SMART staff is excited to be partnering with Gibson Gives to place overdose reversal instruction and medication in our local musical venues,” said SMART Executive Director Jennifer Tourville. “We feel fortunate that Gibson Gives has contributed the supplies to save lives in our community. In fact, we know that right after we distributed the kits to local venues, a life was saved at one of the sites.”

SMART, which became a part of the institute in early 2022, advises community leaders in implementing evidence-based, cost-effective strategies that mitigate damage from substance use disorder and the opioid epidemic. Recently, they’ve worked closely with their sister agency, the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS), to give counties guidance on using their opioid settlement funds.

“Gibson Gives and TEMPO are pleased to expand free access to life-saving naloxone for music venues and fans in Knoxville,” adds Dendy Jarrett, Executive Director of Gibson Gives. “Following Hikma’s $1 million donation of naloxone (Kloxxado) to the TEMPO program, we partnered with the Tennessee Department of Health CDC Foundation Overdose Response Strategy in Tennessee and the Metro Nashville Police Department and created a program offering easy access for life-saving naloxone (Kloxxado)to be available to the public inside over 70 live music venues via the ONEbox, giving them the ability to reverse opioid overdoses and save lives.”

Gibson Gives’ TEMPO program is a partnership of 12 music-industry-related non-profits across the U.S. including MusiCares, The Scars Foundation, The Roadie Clinic, Sandgaard Foundation, Sims Foundation, Harbor Path, Musicians For Overdose Prevention, Life By Music, Passenger Recovery, National Harm Reduction and Solace For Hope which provide life-saving training for using naloxone(Kloxxado) to prevent/reverse opioid overdoses and offer a network for recovery from opioid addiction.