HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The efforts to combat overdose deaths here in the city have made small, but significant improvements with the access to over the counter drug Narcan, but the current numbers are still alarming
"Here in Madison County this year, we're at a historic record-breaking time which is really sad." according to Partners for a Drug Free community executive director Wendy Reeves. "It's more than numbers you know, these are people with families and friends and it's very disheartening that right now we are seeing on average suspected overdose death every 72 hours.
Access to Narcan can be easy but pricey. The cost can be up to 140 dollars to a person without insurance, but through the state of Alabama, there is a way to get it free and comes with training.
" Anyone in the state of Alabama can go onto our website and just search Naloxone in the search box and it will take them to our online training." says Dr. Darlene Traffanstedt, Medical Director at the Alabama Department of Public Health.
"It takes about 10 minutes the video to learn how to use, it is about 8 1/2 minutes and I'm you just have to certify that you watched the video and that your in a position to assist someone at risk of an overdose then put in your address."
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Wendy says using fentanyl test strips are also a key to preventing overdose deaths.
"What that does is it allows people who are using a substance that they buy on the street to test it before they use it if they're concerned because that is the big problem that we've been seeing here locally it's been found in marijuana cocaine it's been found and every substance this out there so these test or one of the things that we have done".