The St. Louis County Health Department is distributing free bottles of an overdose antidote to save people addicted to opioids.
The health department announced Monday it is offering naloxone at its health clinic in north St. Louis County and at the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton. When given to a person who has overdosed on opioids, the medicine can immediately reverse the effects of the overdose.
Naloxone, also known by its brand name Narcan, was first carried by paramedics and emergency rooms, said Dr. Emily Doucette, co-director of the health department. But in recent years, many lay people have started carrying it so they can help anyone who might have an overdose.
“Anyone can carry Narcan, that’s the message that we’re promoting,” she said.