Colorado allocates $1.8 million to increase access to drug that can reverse opioid overdoses

As the fig of cause overdoses involving opioids successful Colorado increases, the authorities is allocating $1.8 cardinal successful backing for section agencies moving with high-risk individuals to get naloxone — a medicine that tin reverse opioid overdoses — for free.

Gov. Jared Polis’ medication announced successful a quality merchandise Wednesday that $1.8 cardinal has been allocated to Colorado’s Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund truthful eligible entities specified arsenic section instrumentality enforcement agencies, section governments and harm-reduction agencies tin entree the funds needed to acquisition naloxone.

Naloxone is simply a life-saving cause that reverses overdoses to narcotic drugs similar heroin and definite medicine medications, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said connected its website. When administered, it tin stabilize idiosyncratic who has overdosed from opioids, providing clip for exigency aesculapian professionals to respond and supply indispensable care, the quality merchandise said.

The state’s naloxone fund, administered by the authorities wellness department’s Overdose Prevention Unit, provided 98,314 doses of naloxone astatine nary outgo to 253 entities crossed Colorado from January 2019 to December 2021, the merchandise said. The further $1.8 million, which was made disposable done the American Rescue Plan Act, aims to conscionable the expanding demands for naloxone, arsenic request had exceeded the backing presently available, according to the release.

“We person an opioid epidemic successful this country, and this quality volition assistance america much straight and robustly respond to it,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, the enforcement manager of Colorado’s wellness department.

A record-breaking 1,477 Coloradans died of cause overdoses successful 2020, according to the Colorado Health Institute, and opioid overdoses accrued by 54%, making up astir 2 successful 3 overdose deaths. The fig of cause overdose deaths successful 2021, though not released yet, is expected to surpass that record, fixed concerns implicit accrued fentanyl deaths.

Because the authorities has naloxone lasting orders, Coloradans bash not request a medicine to acquisition naloxone. Stop the Clock Colorado has an online map that lists locations of pharmacies that transportation naloxone, which tin travel successful the signifier of nasal spray, an auto-injection instrumentality and a vial of medicine that tin beryllium injected oregon utilized arsenic a nasal spray, according to the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention.

Signs of an opioid overdose see nonaccomplishment of consciousness, irregular breathing, choking sounds, vomiting and an inability to talk, according to the American Psychological Association. The relation recommends calling 911 and administering naloxone if you fishy idiosyncratic is overdosing.

“Everyone astatine hazard of an overdose is loved by someone,” Hunsaker Ryan said. “As a effect of accrued entree to naloxone, much organizations tin administer naloxone to persons astatine hazard of overdose, and yet prevention lives.”

Eligible entities for the Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund — including section nationalist wellness agencies, schoolhouse districts, instrumentality enforcement agencies and harm simplification agencies — indispensable person a existent lasting bid anterior to submitting an exertion for funding. Both applications tin beryllium accessed and submitted done the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s website.