Overdose Reversal Drug Has Saved Over 2,500 Lives in Under 3 Years in North Carolina
Nalaxone is given to those overdosing on heroin or prescription painkilers.
2,503 lives have been saved from death due to heroin or painkiller overdoses in North Carolina in under three years thanks to the state’s acceptance of the use of nalaxone (Narcan), according to the North Carolina Harm Reduction Center. Despite the incredible success rate of this drug, some states continue to refuse to allow its use.
“Through distributing naloxone with NCHRC, I have been able to save the lives of many of my friends, loved ones and peers,” says Kendra, a volunteer distributor of nalaxone in Wilmington. “Without this amazing group of people and this life-saving drug, many people who are very close to me may not have had a second chance at life. In the last few months alone I have had close to 100 reversals reported to me personally and many of those people are now in recovery because they were ready to make a change in their lives after overdosing.”
Cities and states that have implemented the use of Narcan have had huge success in reversing overdose deaths. In Quincy, Massachusetts, the first city in the nation to require officers to carry the drug, a 95% success rate was reported after the first three years.
