SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Naloxone, the nonprofit founded in 2015 aimed at preventing opioid overdose deaths, is celebrating surpassing the half a million threshold of naloxone doses distributed in the Beehive State.
According to the nonprofit, those half a million doses helped reverse nearly 15,000 overdoses in that time.
"Each of those doses represents the possibility of a life saved—not by a hospital or an ambulance, but by someone who happened to be there when it mattered most," Utah Naloxone stated in a release.
The nonprofit says that the milestone wasn't the result of government mandate or pushing from a single funding source but instead the thousands of acts of compassion that Utahns expressed. "Healthcare providers, first responders, recovery organizations, businesses, schools, faith communities, local health departments, legislators, volunteers, and thousands of individual Utahns all played a role in making this milestone possible."
Naloxone is a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose caused by fentanyl, heroin, and prescription opioid medications. According to Utah Naloxone, since Utah adopted layperson naloxone laws and expanded community access, the state has scene a reduction in overdose deaths.
"Reaching more than half a million free doses distributed is an incredible milestone, but what matters most is the people carrying them," said Dr. Jennifer Plumb, Co-Founder and Medical Director of Utah Naloxone. "Overdose reversals happen because someone was willing to carry naloxone and step forward to help. Often that person is a friend, a family member, or someone with lived experience who recognized an overdose and acted. Every naloxone kit we distribute is another opportunity for someone in the community to save a life."
You can find more information on Utah Naloxone and resources on where to get the medication here.
