Health department offering free naloxone education, testing

Published 11:09 am Thursday, June 7, 2018

The Jessamine County Health Department is hosting a free event Monday, June 11, to show the community how to use the anti-opioid overdose drug Narcan, which will include free kits of the overdose-reversing medication for ages 18 and above (photo ID required).

Health officials from the Kentucky Department for Public Health and Kentucky Pharmacists Association will host the event in their mobile pharmacy unit from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the health department, located at 210 E. Walnut St. No appointment is needed.

Participants must complete a 10- to 15-minute educational training to receive a free naloxone kit and may also receive HIV/Hepatitis C testing and counseling.
With the recent increase in opioid overdoses either linked to prescription or illicit drug misuse, the U.S. surgeon general issued an advisory in April recommending more people carry naloxone.

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Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, blocks opiate receptors in the brain, works in one to three minutes and lasts 30 to 90 minutes. It can cause withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and disorientation, but there is no risk of abuse or addiction.

For more information, call 885-4149 or visit jessaminehealth.org.

Shana Peterson is a health educator with the Jessamine County Health Department.