NSA Releases Most Recent Naloxone Report - Estimates 175 Lives Saved

In November 2015, the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) partnered with Purdue Pharma L.P. (Purdue) to provide free-of-charge naloxone overdose kits and training to law enforcement agencies across the country.  This “rescue drug” can reverse the fatal overdose effects of some opioids, including heroin.  To date, NSA has trained more than 1,000 law enforcement officers and command staff to administer naloxone. Furthermore, NSA has distributed 1,743 2-dose kits of naloxone (Narcan) aerosol (3,486 doses). Specifically, NSA has provided naloxone overdose kits to 39 law enforcement agencies covering 21 states, as outlined below. Finally, and most importantly, data collected in the project’s first 18 months document 120 lives saved. Now, 26 months into the project, we estimate that the NSA and Purdue partnership has saved more than 175 lives!

Mitigation of drug overdose deaths as a result of this project is occurring in both patrol and correctional settings.  Moreover, the number of lives saved is anticipated to escalate dramatically as previously distributed naloxone kits are deployed and as NSA continues to distribute more naloxone and provide more training. Ultimately, when approaching the distressing scene of an opioid overdose, first responders who have participated in NSA’s project are equipped to identify an individual who has overdosed and to administer the NSA-provided naloxone with knowledge, confidence, and life-saving success.

The 21 states that have received free-of-charge naloxone overdose kits, in addition to training and technical assistance, are Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.