Free Narcan and barbecue in Boynton Beach
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The need for Narcan is right up there with CPR.
That message Saturday from county health leaders at a free Narcan giveaway in Boynton Beach.
The event included free barbecue and a message about Narcan and why it's okay to have nearby in this opioid crisis.
“There’s certainly nothing adverse to having CPR training, the same here," said John Hulick, the Palm Beach County Drug Czar. "You might be out and notice someone might be having an overdose situation, no harm in carrying Narcan," he added.
“We recommend even if you’re not sure it’s an overdose from an opioid, to try it, it will not hurt the individual," said Dr. Monica Walker with the T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society.
Hulick told CBS12 News, after a disastrous 2020, which saw a 30 percent increase in overdose deaths, fueled in part by the coronavirus pandemic, there are positive signs in 2021.
This year the county reported 360 opioid deaths, compared to 560 a year ago. But Hulick said, one overdose death is one too many.
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As overdose deaths drop, experts at the county level are taking note of a new disturbing trend.
"The most disturbing trend, and one of the reasons why we're here today, why Narcan is so important is the prevalence of synthetic opioids," said Micah Robbins with the Palm Beach County Behavioral Health Coalition. "These are prevalent in almost every illicit drug. We're finding it in cocaine, heroin, pres (prescription) pills, counterfeit pills, marijuana. Any illicit substance, we are finding traces of fentanyl and those types of analogs, so synthetic versions of that, in everything. So that, I've been at this a long, long time, that is truly alarming because it's so unpredictable."
The Trinity Counseling Center not only hosted the event but plans to do more in the future. Doctors from the T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society helped out with the educational portion of the event.