State Health Makes Narcan Kits Accessible To First Responders (WJZ)

Baltimore’s health commissioner recently released a figure stating that last year in Baltimore City, 761 people died from an overdose. The fire department is working to step up with a way to save lives for people who don’t want to go to the hospital.

On average, two people die per day of overdoses in Baltimore. Nationally, 200 people a day are dying.

Much of the rise is attributed to the synthetic drug fentanyl, mixed with heroin.

Starting this weekend, Baltimore has a new tool to lower the death count, the opioid blocker, Narcan.

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When I’ve asked experts about these approaches, it’s not that any of them are bad. It’s that they fall short. For instance, Leana Wen, the former health commissioner of Baltimore (and soon-to-be president of Planned Parenthood), said that the Support for Patients and Communities Act “is simply tinkering around the edges.”

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