After years of skyrocketing overdose deaths, Pennsylvania began to see modest decreases in deaths from 5,398 deaths in 2017 to 4,415 in 2018, with 2,866 of those deaths related to opioids. This decrease was largely a result of increased access to naloxone for people who witness an overdose. Preliminary data for 2019 show roughly equivalent numbers. An average of 10 Pennsylvanians continue to die each day. While data is not yet available for 2020, we know that the isolation and disruption related to the COVID-19 pandemic has made access to traditional in-person services more difficult for many and our mailing program even more critical to saving lives.
If you are a person who uses drugs or if you are around people who use drugs, please consider learning how to respond to an opioid overdose and carrying naloxone (intranasal brand name: Narcan). Naloxone is a medication designed to reverse an opioid overdose. Opioids slow down the activity of the central nervous system. This can cause slowed or stopped breathing which may lead to death. Naloxone displaces the opioids from the opioid receptors in the brain which allows the person who is experiencing an opioid overdose to begin breathing normally.
For more information on how to get Naloxone mailed to you visit Next Distro.
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