Community hopes ‘Narcan’ will prevent opioid overdoses

According to Idaho State University pharmacy students, Idaho is dealing with an opioid epidemic.

But thanks to a nasal spray called “Narcan”, the community hopes the product can prevent drug overdoses.

The product temporarily reverses the effects of opioids. This gives doctors more time to save someones life. While the product does not replace the need for medical attention, it can buy time for an ambulance to get to the person.

The Hope and Recovery Resource Center in Pocatello works with both the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office and the Oneida County Sherriff’s Office.

“We have now provided Narcan units to the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office as well as the Oneida County Sherriff’s Office. So they are now carrying them in their cars,” commented Chris Daniels, the executive director of the Hope and Recovery Center.

The center is not the only ones trying to get the products into peoples hands. A group at ISU called Generation Rx helped teach public safety officers how to administer emergency overdose medication. Erin Berry, a student in the pharmacy program at ISU, said not everyone who needs this product is a drug addict.

“It can be from an elderly person that was prescribed hyrdrocodone that read the directions wrong. Or was planning on taking the medication between four and six hours and accidently took it two to four hours,” Berry said.

The Hope and Recovery Resource Center in Pocatello will be holding a community Narcan Question and answer event for the community on April 8th at 3 p.m.

For more information about the center, click here.