In response to heroin overdoses in AA County, intranasal Narcan training is now available to the public

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Monica Mewshaw

“Nationally, the number of known heroin users has grown exponentially from 100,000 in 2007 to 700,000 in 2012 and, sadly, over 50 percent of users will be dead before age 50.

“In 2014, there were 308 heroin and opioid overdoses in Anne Arundel County, 48 of which were fatal… The alarming increase in heroin use can be traced to a variety of different factors, including (1) a decrease in the availability of prescription opiate medications because of increased prescriber oversight and law enforcement efforts in recent year, (2) low cost, (3) availability and, (4) ease of use.

In addition, lethality of the heroin available has increased with the relatively recent appearance of fentanyl, a highly potent opioid, in some of the heroin being sold in the region.” (www.aacounty.org/News/Resources/2015/HeroinActionPlan.pdf)

In response, The Anne Arundel County Department of Health’s Adult Addiction Program is offering free training and certification to community members on the use of intranasal naloxone (Narcan) to reverse an opioid overdose and prevent death. Once certified, trainees will receive a prescription for a naloxone kit to administer to victims of opioid overdose.

Click here to learn more and register for a class. Please pass along to anyone you know who might benefit from this information.