TAMPA, Fla. — There’s a bill making its way through the Florida legislature that would allow schools to keep and administer Naloxone, an opioid-blocking drug used to reverse the effects of an overdose. According to the Florida medical examiners annual report, in 2017, 4,280 people died from opioid overdoses. Among that group, 25 were children under the age of 18.
Cathy Valdes lost her son to the opioid epidemic 11 years ago. Now, she works for Narcotics Overdose Prevention Education (NOPE) Hillsborough to help prevent other parents from going through what she experienced.
“Nalaxone alone will only prevent deaths, in that one instance of death, at that one moment," explaned Valdes.
"This is such a big issue. Of course it has to be part of a much bigger plan, to stem the tide of this terrible terrible epidemic of opioid addiction."
In the current version of the bill, schools would have the option to carry Naloxone. It includes language that would legally shield the teachers and medical staff who would administer it. Each school would also have to work with a licensed physician to develop a proper protocol.
In the arsenal of opioid overdose prevention, naloxone plays a powerful role.
“Well naloxone, if administered, can virtually bring somebody back form the brink of death. So it negates the impact of the opioid,” said Valdes.
The bill still has to make it’s way through the legislative session, but if this bill passes, it could go into effect as early as July 1st 2020.
What other people are reading right now:
- Unprecedented Arctic blast to break hundreds of records across the US
- Hunter thought he would die in Florida swamp after gator bit him
- Impeachment hearings go live with first witnesses
- Video shows woman stealing $22K ring from Kay Jewelers, deputies say
- Grieving son builds 20,000 Christmas light display to honor deceased dad
FREE 10NEWS APP:
