For a North Carolina mother who routinely stayed up nights, having naloxone on hand brought some relief. If her opioid-addicted son overdosed, giving him the opioid antagonist could save his life within minutes.
“Peace of mind is priceless,” the mother told leaders at Project Lazarus, an organization based in Moravian Falls, North Carolina, that is working to prevent opioid overdoses in the state. A key part of the group’s strategy has been to put naloxone, sold under the trade name Narcan, into as many hands as possible—chronic pain patients taking prescription painkillers, law enforcement, loved ones of individuals with prescription or illicit opioid abuse problems, and community groups.