Save a Life Day offers free naloxone and training to help prevent overdose deaths

PRINCETON, WV (WOAY) – Save a Life Day welcomes community organizations all across the nation to hand out free naloxone.

In Princeton, local non-profit Community Connections set up distribution sites around the county, and also provided training on how to administer the life-saving drug.

“No one should be judgmental,” said Community Connections Program Director Dr. Jamie Styons. “We shouldn’t debate whether naloxone is appropriate or not. We just want to make sure somebody has that second chance to do something great.”

Naloxone works by counteracting the effects of a drug overdose. It reverses the effects of opioids, allowing a return to normal respiratory function.

Essentially, using it on someone who has suffered an overdose will reopen their airways and give them enough time to be taken to a hospital. 

“Naloxone is one of those wonderful opioid antagonists that reduces the effects temporarily of an opioid overdose.”

Naloxone also has no effect on someone who has not suffered an overdose, so it’s safe to use as a preemptive measure if you think someone has overdosed, but you aren’t sure.   

Naloxone is easy to use and health officials encourage people to hold onto some if they live in an area prone to overdoses. All you do is take off the cap and use the nasal injector on someone you think has suffered an opioid overdose.

Carrying some around with you might just save someone’s life, even someone who’s never been addicted to drugs or has only tried them once or twice.

“Recently there was an issue in California where a police officer overdosed while searching a vehicle, and that’s just how fast fentanyl can be.”

On Save a Life Day, Community Connections in Princeton set up in multiple locations around Mercer County to hand out free naloxone. They are one of many organizations who spent Save a Life Day training people on how to use the life saving drug. 

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