Campaign Urges Keeping Naloxone Close To Help Save Lives

DENVER (CBS4)- A campaign kicked off at the state Capitol on Thursday that encourages everyone to keep a life-saving medication close. That drug is Naloxone and is used for drug overdoses.

Health experts kicked off the campaign BringNaloxoneHome.org. Naloxone is used to block the effects of opioids during an overdose.

Last year, they say 543 people in Colorado died from overdoses.

"We want to de-stigmatize opioid use and overdose by highlighting that it occurs everywhere in our state behind all kinds of doors and among every socioeconomic level," said one expert at the campaign kickoff.

Gov. Jared Polis has declared August to be Colorado Naloxone Awareness Month.