Fulton Approves Additional Purchase Of Anti-Overdose Drug

ROSWELL, GA -- Fulton County commissioners at its Oct. 18 meeting voted to fund the purchase of additional doses of an anti-overdose drug that will be distributed to law enforcement agencies and first responders to help fight opioid abuse.

Naloxone, often sold under the brand name Narcan, is an antidote used to temporarily reverse the effects of an overdose stemming from the use of opiates. The resolution sponsored by District 2 Commissioner and Board Vice Chair Bob Ellis provides $49,000 in funding to purchase the drug.

"We've heard countless stories of how law enforcers across Fulton County have used naloxone and saved lives," Ellis said. "We wanted to provide additional funding for naloxone to ensure our first responders are armed with the life-saving medicine, while the county works on education, prevention and treatment to fight the opioid epidemic."

Wednesday's approval is the most recent initiative Fulton County has taken to address the growing crisis of opioid addition in the metro area (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

In April 2016, commissioners approved funding of up to $49,000 to purchase naloxone, which it distributed to law enforcement agencies around Fulton County. The county subsequently distributed 1,176 doses of nasal Narcan to 14 police agencies in Fulton County and trained personnel at those agencies how to properly administer the drug.

Naloxone can reverse the harmful and often fatal effects of overdoses from heroin and other opioids and is administered either by being squirted into the nose or injected into the upper arm or thigh of the person experiencing an overdose.

Photo: Toby Talbot/Associated Press