MT. HOPE, WV (WOAY) – Over three out of four fatal overdoses in West Virginia happened as a result of opioid use, that number drastically increasing in 2020.
But now people are getting a chance to help stop these opioid-related deaths and save lives through “Save a Life Day.” Organized by the Fayette County Prevention Coalition, nine distribution sites were set up throughout Fayette County giving away free Naloxone, a drug that can reverse overdoses before they become fatal.
“West Virginia leads the country in overdose deaths by far,” says Brian Akers, a Recovery Coach. “This medicine can help prevent that, this medicine can save people’s lives. This is a community outreach that can really make a difference and it’s free.”
More Naloxone, or Narcan, distribution sites are expected to be set up in Raleigh County in just a few more weeks.