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Americans Encouraged to Carry Kits that Stops Opioid Overdose

Anna C. Mackinno

GROTON, CT - MARCH 23: A box of the opioid antidote Naloxone, also known as Narcan, sits on display during a family addiction support group on March 23, 2016 in Groton, CT. The drug is used to revive people suffering from heroin overdose. The group Communities Speak Out organizes monthly meetings at a public library for family members to talk about how their loved ones' addiction affects them and to give each other emotional support. Communities nationwide are struggling with the unprecidented heroin and opioid pain pill epidemic. On March 15, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), announced guidelines for doctors to reduce the amount of opioid painkillers prescribed nationwide, in an effort to curb the epidemic. The CDC estimates that most new heroin addicts first became hooked on prescription pain medication before graduating to heroin, which is stronger and cheaper. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Indiana’s former state commissioner decided to advise Americans to carry opioid drug overdose reversal kits with them. However, this drug is not cheap even if one can purchase it without a prescription from any pharmacy. In order to tackle this problem, Indiana’s State Department of Health had decided to make a number of naloxone kits available to those that would like to carry them free of charge, the main condition being that they must sit through a training session.

How many kits are available

Back in August 2016 when this program started to get federal funds 49 county health departments received almost 14 thousand naloxone kits. Out of all the counties, Marion county distributed the most kits and carried the most training sessions.

These kits were passed on to churches, motels, liquor stores, community centers and even truck stops, with the main purpose in mind that by doing this people that overdose on opioids would have their life saved by someone in the area that had both the training to aid someone in that situation and the kit needed to do so.

Why do people come to training sessions

In some cases parents have decided to come to these training sessions because their child had accidentally had an opioid overdose or just because they want to be prepared in case that ever happens. Other people come to these training sessions because they know people or they have family members that are going through rehab or that are addicts and they want to be there if an accident happens and hopefully save their life.

The fact that many people decide to come to these training sessions means that they are aware that there is a problem and that they are willing to help fight the battle against it and now more than ever every man counts.

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