New Law Aims To Reduce Number Of Fatal Drug Overdoses In Pennsylvania
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A law aimed at reducing drug overdose deaths in Pennsylvania takes effect today. Police statewide can now administer an antidote to heroin and painkillers.
Opioid drugs, like heroin and pain medication, slow a person's breathing, and toxic levels can stop it altogether. The drug Naloxone, also known as Narcan, reverses that effect but it must be given quickly.
The law, passed in September, allows those most likely to get to someone overdosing first to administer it: police or relatives or friends of addicts, who can now get prescriptions for take-home doses.
One common concern is that having Narcan on hand as a safety net may allow addicts to use even more, but advocates say that research shows it does not encourage drug use; it prevents deaths. They say treating addiction can only be accomplished if the user is alive.
You may also be interested in these news stories: