Narcan Giveaway
As part of its campaign to raise awareness about opioids, the Springfield Township Opioid Action Committee, or STOAC, is offering FREE Narcan kits to Springfield Township residents. The Narcan Giveaway will take place on International Overdose Awareness Day on Wednesday, August 31st. From 10am - 1pm, STOAC and representatives from the Springfield Township Police Department will be giving away free Narcan kits at Locals Coffee in Wyndmoor. Between 4:30pm - 7pm, Narcan kits will be given away at Mr. P's Pizza in Flourtown.
In addition, the Springfield Township Police Department will be accepting the No Shame Pledge committing to reduce the stigma associated with substance abuse.
What is Narcan?
Narcan (naloxone) is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist—meaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids. It can very quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of overdosing with heroin or prescription opioid pain medications.
Along with Narcan kit distribution, other ways to combat an increasing number of opioid overdoses include; expanding education programs that target overdose prevention, broadening awareness of access to available treatment for substance use disorders, identifying and helping individuals at highest risk for overdose early on, monitoring for overdose outbreaks, and launching more effective responses.
