Three people allegedly overdosed at a Bedford County Sheetz over the weekend and officials say one of those people needed to be revived with Narcan.
In efforts to curb the opioid epidemic, Narcan has become more accessible and due to a standing order signed last month by the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Acting Secretary – you can get Narcan from a healthcare provider without a prescription.
Now, more and more people are carrying Narcan on them in efforts to prevent overdoses.
“The most important message that I come today with is this, there is help,” says Jennifer Smith, The Secretary for The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs at a press conference held last month where she and other officials spoke on the importance of overcoming substance abuse and why carrying Narcan can help the present opioid epidemic.
“I’ve expanded the standing order so that now in Pennsylvania without a prescription you can go to the pharmacy and get Naloxone, We know that this works, and we know that its affective and we want more people to have access to it”.
Narcan reverses the effects of opioids on the body and Dr. Johnson made Narcan more easily available in different forms such as nasal sprays, auto injectors like an EpiPen and non-prefill syringes.
The Somerset County Single County Authority Director – Erin Howsare says she sees firsthand how Narcan has become more available across the keystone state and locally as well.
“Over the last five years, it has now become available to anybody really that wants it. We give it out a lot to family and friends. So, if someone’s overdosing, they obviously can’t use the Narcan on themselves, but if you’re a family or a friend of somebody that maybe overdosing then you have it to use on them”.
Most insurances do cover Narcan, but it is available in most agencies including the Somerset County S.C.A Drug and Alcohol Office for free.
Most insurances do cover Narcan, but it is available in most agencies including the Somerset County S.C.A Drug and Alcohol Office for free.
“I carry naloxone in my purse, I carry it around where I go, and I want to make sure that it is really normal for people to carry naloxone with them because you never know when you have the opportunity to save a life and your life is worth saving”.
To learn more, you can call the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP.
