Berrien Health Department Giving Out Anti Overdose Kits Tuesday

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As part of International Overdose Awareness Day Tuesday, the Berrien County Health Department is giving away free naloxone kits for the day. Prevention Supervisor Lisa Peeples-Hurst tells WSJM News naloxone is the drug that can save someone experiencing an overdose. It started out as an injection, but has since become much easier to use.

“Now we’re in a nasal spray which is definitely effective immediately for reversing the effects of any drug, and the good news is that if it’s something that doesn’t turn out to be a controlled substance, it does no harm to the body,” Peeples-Hurst said.

Peeples-Hurt says it doesn’t take expertise to administer naloxone. Anyone who knows someone with a problem or anyone in recovery is advised to have a dose of naloxone around just in case.

“We want folks to save a life, so we want them to administer the Narcan, get that person immediate help, and then we’ll deal with all of the other things that may come after that.”

Naloxone works by getting the person breathing again. The Berrien County Health Department is giving out the kits at the Walgreens in Stevensville and the Walgreens in Niles for the day. It says in Berrien County, drug overdose deaths increased from 15 in 2019 to 18 in 2020.