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National News

Nose Spray Narcan Reverses Overdoses In Mass. Town At High Rate

August 21, 2013 posted by Steve Brownstein

The police department in Quincy, Mass., is requiring officers to carry a nasal spray that reverses overdoses from opioids, which are heroin and painkiller drugs derived from opium.

Narcan (naloxone hydrochloride) has been available in injection form to paramedics and hospital emergency room doctors for many years, and has also become available in a nasal spray.

Quincy is the first police department in the United States to require officers on patrol to carry nasal Narcan, which reverses an overdose by blocking the narcotic’s ability to attach to brain cells.

About 200 Quincy officers have been trained to use the antidote and two doses are carried in every police cruiser.

Since the pilot program began in 2010, Quincy police have applied Narcan 179 times and reversed overdoses 170 times.


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