Heather Curtis
WMAL.com.
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – More than 100 people overdosed on opioids in Montgomery County in 2017 according to Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger. Seventy of them died. Now the police department’s stepped up its effort to save the lives of people who overdose on the highly addictive drugs.
More than 200 officers in Montgomery County have been equipped with the opioid overdose antidote Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, thanks to a donation from the Montgomery County Police Foundation. A few years ago, the department was only able to give 20 of its officers the lifesaving medication.
“This is a…really just a miracle antidote to an opioid overdose that can be administered through nasal spray,” Manger said after working with a class of officers getting trained on how to use the medication.
Manger said officers equipped with Naloxone have been able to save lives at a time when the number of overdoses is increasing astronomically, going up 100 percent every year over the last few years.
The chief thanked the foundation for providing the medication and his officers for volunteering to carry it.
“They didn’t have to do this, but you have officers who care about the community, care about people who are dealing with addiction, and they want to provide them with the help that they can,” Manger said.
After Naloxone is administered, Manger said social workers called to the scene do everything they can to help the person who overdosed get into a treatment program.
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