From the L.A Daily News:
Amid a troubling nationwide surge in drug overdose deaths, a Los Angeles County pilot program handing medicine that help prevent such deaths directly to inmates is showing some early signs of success.
In May and June, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department began placing doses of naloxone inside the living areas of their jails. The small nozzles, branded as Narcan and resembling over-the-counter nasal sprays, were attached to the walls of dormitories so that anyone inside who sees another inmate appearing to overdose can rip the doses off the wall and administer the medicine themselves.
Dr. Sean Henderson of the county’s Correctional Health Services said he knows the doses so far have been used four or five times in overdose cases. But more doses than that have disappeared, he said. At the same time, he said the rate of calls for overdoses has fallen slightly.
Henderson said he hopes that means inmates are using the drugs and preventing overdose deaths, and just not telling anyone about it. He said there’s no downside: The doses can simply be replaced whenever they are discovered gone. Narcan can’t be used to get high, and the only side-effect is a sick feeling similar to drug withdrawal symptoms. Continue reading >>>
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