Mississippi expands access of Naloxone to prevent opioid overdose deaths

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The Mississippi Division of Well being is permitting pharmacists to promote Naloxone, an opioid reversal drug, to clients and not using a prescription – giving entry to anybody who asks for it.

“It’s a necessity proper now, contemplating the evolution of the drug tradition, as we proceed to drive ahead to make sure public security and public well being,” Col. Steven Maxwell, Director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, stated.

The state of Mississippi is taking additional strides within the struggle in opposition to the opioid epidemic. Their answer is to develop the entry to opioid overdose reversal medicine, like Naloxone or NARCAN, to the general public.

“It is a software which you could have at your fingertips to forestall the loss of life of one other particular person. And if that’s potential, we wish to have the ability to present that,” Govt Director of the Mississippi Division of Psychological Well being, Wendy Bailey, stated.

Previous to the growth, NARCAN was primarily utilized by regulation enforcement and paramedics who reply to overdose calls. The Ridgeland Police Division has been utilizing it for years.

“We squirt the nasal Narcan into their nasal passage, and it begins lowering the consequences of opioids. You’ll begin seeing the outcomes, generally 15-20 seconds,” Lieutenant Eddy Addison defined.

However, would increasing entry allow customers to proceed utilizing opioids?

“It’s not such as you simply use it, you already know, and then you definately return to your life quarter-hour later. It’s not that you just nonetheless have to hunt medical consideration, consideration,” Bailey stated.

Col. Maxwell stated after 500 overdose deaths have been reported final 12 months and 200 have been reported up to now in 2022, it’s necessary to provide as a lot entry to reversal medicine to forestall that quantity from rising.

“It must be simply accessed since you by no means know when you might are available in contact with somebody who might have one thing within their our bodies nonetheless metabolizing that will lead to them overdosing. And also you additionally your self might doubtlessly be uncovered to fentanyl,” Maxwell stated.

Addison stated he thinks it’s necessary that if somebody goes to hold NARCAN, they be taught from consultants on how and when to apply it to somebody.

For details about NARCAN and how you can administer the drug, the Mississippi Division of Psychological Well being has movies that assist exhibit correct utilization in addition to an inventory of locations that present Naloxone to the general public, freed from cost.

If you’re hooked on opioids, sources can be found by way of MS DMH right here or name the Substance Abuse Hotline at 1-800-662-4357.

Need extra WLBT information in your inbox? Click on right here to subscribe to our publication.

Copyright 2022 WLBT. All rights reserved.