A life-saving law took effect on June 10, 2015 making it legal in Florida for non-medical persons to administer Naloxone to another individual to prevent an opioid/he**in overdose from becoming fatal. The law also permits emergency responders, including law enforcement officers and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to possess, store, and administer naloxone in an emergency. Naloxone, or Narcan®
, quickly reverses the respiratory depression caused by opioids in an overdose (e.g. he**in, methadone, morphine). It is a prescription medicine that reverses an overdose by blocking he**in (or other opioids) in the brain for 30 to 90 minutes. Providing education regarding overdose prevention and response and increasing access to naloxone will reduce harms and save lives. The Overdose Prevention Initiative (OPI) is a community project developed by Waters Edge Recovery, a leading treatment facility in Stuart, in an effort to prevent overdoses. For more information on OPI or Waters Edge Recovery visit: http://www.watersedgerecovery.com.
