New Jersey First State to Let Paramedics Offer Opioid Withdrawal Medicine

New Jersey recently became the first state to let paramedics administer the opioid withdrawal drug, Buprenorphine, after they revive individuals who have overdosed.

Buprenorphine is proven to effectively counteract the flu-like symptoms of withdrawal and help get people into addiction treatment programs, according to a 2019 NJ.com report.

Once paramedics administer naloxone to individuals who have overdosed, the withdrawal process is sped up and symptoms that are normally felt within a day come on almost immediately. For this reason, it is typical for these individuals to rush off to get another dose of drugs to relieve those symptoms of withdrawal.

With Buprenorphine readily available to New Jersey medical responders, it just might help keep these individuals off of the drugs long enough so that they may consider getting into a treatment program. I am hopeful that this new initiative can and will continue to help put individuals with substance use disorder on the road to recovery and ultimately help save their lives.

 

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