Narcan made available in Ocean County

The Narcan program, which was introduced in Monmouth and Ocean County to put the lifesaving antidote in the hands of law enforcement and first responders, has been a great tool against opioid abuse. It has been so successful that Governor Christie plans to expand the program to all 21 New Jersey counties. But Ocean County is introducing a new aspect of this plan that is set to save even more lives. 

According to an NJ.com report, free Naloxone kits were given to the first 100 people in attendance at the monthly "Family Night"  at the Ocean County Opiate Task Force's town hall. This is the first time the kit is available to citizens of Ocean County. Kits are available for $25 apiece and require special training to use, although the drug is not dangerous if consumed by people who aren't experiencing an opiate overdose.

Monmouth and Ocean County have been leading the charge in New Jersey against the opioid abuse epidemic and I, for one, certainly believe that this is yet another home run for Prosecutor Coronato and the Ocean County Opiate Task Force team. Making these kits privately available can save even more lives, as it takes out the crucial moments it would take for first responders to arrive on the scene. Hopefully, more people suffering from this deadly affliction will have the chance to seek treatment. The best part is the relative inexpensiveness of the kit, making it widely available to all demographics. We have seen countless times that addiction does not discriminate and this new initiative in the Narcan program ensures that help won't either.

Of course, we can't stress enough the importance of prevention and parental involvement when it comes to addiction. The best way to stop it is to never start at all. Now that summer is in full swing, parents must take more of an interest in their kids' lives, converse with them frequently, and ensure they know your feelings about substance abuse.

 

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