Staff reports
Wednesday, September 30, 2015 8:37 am
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CONCORD, N.H. - Health centers statewide will begin dispensing free heroin overdose kits containing Narcan, a crucial tool in the reversal of potentially fatal heroin or fentanyl overdoses that have spiked exponentially this past year.
The announcement by state officials on Tuesday came on the same day the attorney general's office unveiled an ongoing investigation into whether drug companies are deceptively marketing prescription opioids.
More than 300 people died statewide from drug overdoses in 2014, and totals are on course to be even more grim this year.
The state's federally-funded purchase of the 5,000 naloxone kits at a cost of $500,000 is a one-time effort.
State officials are also looking for doctors to prescribe Narcan, known as naloxone, and for pharmacies to stock it.
People can obtain the naloxone at any community health center.
It can be administered as an injection or nasal mist.
A list of health centers that provide naloxone is available at drugfreenh.org.