Cook County Board Urges Naloxone Use to Reverse Heroin Overdose

First responders, law enforcement and healthcare personnel have been urged to use naloxone, sometimes referred to as a Lazarus drug for its life-saving results, to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

The Cook County Board unanimously approved the urging resolution Wednesday, according to a news release. Commissioner Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman sponsored the resolution.

“This is the next step in the battle to tackle the heroin epidemic and most importantly, save lives here in Cook County,” Gorman said in a statement.

Some police departments in Cook County already have naloxone on hand. These include departments in Bartlett, Countryside, Deerfield, Hinsdale, Prospect Heights and Schaumburg. Some have begun reporting overdose reversals, thanks to the drug.

In 2010, Quincy, Massachusetts became the first state to require every police officer to carry naloxone, according to the release. The Quincy Police Department has used naloxone 221 times since 2010, and it has reversed opioid overdoses in 211 of those cases.

• In 2013, opioid abuse led to 383 deaths in Cook County.
• Of these deaths, 234 were related to heroin overdoses.
• In 2010, Chicago metropolitan hospitals recorded 24,360 admissions where heroin use was mentioned as a contributing factor.
• New York ranked second with 12,226 heroin mentions in a five-borough analysis during the same period.

“We are seeing positive results with the use of naloxone by first responders, law enforcement and healthcare professionals across the country, which is why it’s imperative we expand its life-saving use across all of Cook County, Gorman said in the statement.

Image via shutterstock.

Subscribe to Patch Alerts and our Daily Email Newsletter

ALSO ON PATCH