narcan

Tucked away in a corner near the front of the library, situated amongst the bookshelves, there is a brand new glowing vending machine packed with boxes of Narcan, a lifesaving nasal spray that can reverse overdoses caused by opioids.

Steuben County has not been left out of the opioid epidemic. Narcan kits are accessible in public spaces countywide. The county is also working to get Narcan and Narcan training into every school district.

Steuben County is addressing the opioid crisis by making Narcan, the opioid overdose-reversing drug, available to the public at local fire departments.

Forty people overdosed in April, a nearly 40% increase from March, according to overdose data the county health department collects.

A month in, The Turning Point recovery and community center in Oneonta is distributing as much naloxone in a day as they used to in a week.

There have been nearly 50 overdoses since this year began, more than half in the past two weeks.

Drug overdoses have increased in Broome County this week, with seven reported overdoses in one day.

“It’s important, again, that we use these funds to provide lifesaving drugs, and lifesaving treatment.”

"We need to have Narcan in everybody’s hands.”

Donovan shared his own past struggle with addiction in his training.