You Narcan or you Narcan’t

​​So the newest non-traditional law enforcement tool being utilized by police throughout the country is Narcan or Naloxone. This is a medication designed to quickly reverse opioid overdose. Here is New Mexico they made it a requirement that all law enforcement carry it, making it a first law of its kind. Having successfully passed, it is only a matter of time before other laws are passed similar throughout the country.

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Would you use it?

 
You have sworn an oath of office to protect the citizen’s in your jurisdiction and is this a way of protecting them… from their choices? This may be a very taboo topic now and one that generates a wide range of emotions but frankly you can actually save someone’s life! All the arguments are out there, the “I am not a medical provider” and “shouldn’t fire or paramedics be responsible” but are they actually valid arguments?
 
Naloxone is a safe drug and relatively harmless when administered. In New Mexico they wrote into the law, no one administering naloxone shall be held liable. Some of the concerns that we have may stem from our own bias around substance use. We in law enforcement see the worst of society and unfortunately we associated opiate use with crime at times. There is always the argument “If we keep saving everyone then it may increase substance use, people know they will be saved.” yep heard that one, but also no one that overdosed did so on purpose and they don’t want to do it again.
 
We may not be in the game of treating substance use and we all know that the services for so are few and far between but we are in the business of saving lives. Does your opinion change when you think about saving the life of the 80 year old woman who mistaking took too much of her pain medication after her surgery?

​Overdoses are real and they are becoming a public health matter. Law Enforcement is always the front line for any social concern and lately these concerns are around health care. Another concern in Law Enforcement right now is exposer to fentenyol, which carrying this can help you save your partner’s life. If you have not thought about carrying this tool now is the time to start the conversation.
 
Stay safe and compassionate out there. ​