A 16-year-old boy passed away in a Green, Ohio, hotel after overdosing on opioids. This event catalyzed a broad scale community-wide volunteer-based action to distribute Narcan kits to hotels and motels to save lives.
Narcan is an effective nasal spray that can reverse opioid overdoses within minutes upon administering it. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 49,860 opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2019, including 4,294 (8.6%) opioid overdose deaths in Florida.
During an opioid overdose, normal breathing can be affected, causing severe brain damage or even death within minutes if not reversed. That’s why giving Narcan immediately before first responders arrive makes such a critical impact. Similar to first aid kits, Narcan should be readily available everywhere to prevent death from overdose.