Treating opioid addiction with ‘rescue drug’

Tragic stories of opioid abuse, dependence and lives lost to overdose emerge each day in communities across the country. Opioid pain relievers and heroin are responsible for an increasing number of drug overdose-related deaths in the U.S., with more than 28,000 deaths involving prescription opioids and heroin in 2014, up from approximately 24,000 deaths in 2013.

In response, elected state officials are advocating to equip first responders, including local law enforcement and health professionals, with naloxone to treat an overdose in an emergency situation. Naloxone is a “rescue drug” that can be administered as a nasal spray or injection to counter the effects of opioid overdose.