Overdose-Reversal Drug Usage Down In Union County

UNION COUNTY, NJ — The number of times police have administered naloxone — a lifesaving overdose-reversal drug has gone down slightly compared to last year.

The Union County Prosecutor's Office released an updated map showing that police used naloxone 170 times so far this year, which is down 7 percent from 2018. In 2018, the reversal drug was used 181 times by August and 316 times in total.

All but two police departments in the county — Fanwood and Winfield — have used the reversal drug at least one time in 2019.

Additionally, there have been 50 overdose deaths so far in 2019, compared to the 133 in total for 2018.

The highest number of Narcan deployment remains in Union Township with 43, followed by Linden, Rahway, Elizabeth and Cranford.

Here is a breakdown of the police-administered naloxone in Union County as of Aug. 23:

1. Linden - 39
2. Rahway - 22
3. Union - 20
4. Elizabeth - 18
5. Plainfield - 15
6. Kenilworth - 13
7. Hillside - 7
8. Cranford - 7
9. Springfield - 5
10. Clark - 4
11. Westfield - 3
12. Garwood - 3
13. Roselle Park - 3
14. Roselle - 3
15. Summit - 2
16. New Providence - 1
17. Berkeley Heights - 1
18. Scotch Plains - 1
19. Mountainside
20. Fanwood - 0
21. Winfield - 0

The UCPO releases the numbers periodically in an effort to "#confrontingacrisis."

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