Orlando Police will start carrying drug that reverses opioid overdose

By Monivette Cordeiro on Fri, Jun 3, 2016 at 3:05 pm

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Orlando Police will start carrying drug that reverses opioid overdose

Photo via Adapt Pharma

In response to an increase in heroin-related deaths, the Orlando Police Department is equipping all of its first responders with naloxone, a drug that reverses an opioid overdose.

Starting June 15, officers will start carrying single doses of Narcan, which is naloxone in the form of a nasal spray, according to a press release from the department. The medicine reverses respiratory depression in overdoses related to heroin, methadone, morphine, opium, codeine or hydrocodone. OPD bought 816 doses of Narcan with $30,600 in forfeiture money. The Orlando Fire Department has been carrying a form of naloxone for more than 30 years.

Deaths associated with heroin in Orange County jumped from 14 deaths in 2011 to 82 deaths last year. OPD says last year, there were 47 overdose deaths in Orlando, and this year 17 people have died from overdosing on drugs. About half of those overdose deaths can be attributed to heroin, the release says.