PONTIAC, Mich. (WWJ) -- The Oakland County Jail announced on Wednesday that discharged inmates will now be able to obtain free Narcan kits from a recently installed vending machine.
Naloxone, most commonly known as Narcan, is a nasal medication that can reverse the potentially deadly effects of an opioid overdose.
As part of their release process, the sheriff’s office says inmates will be advised by deputies at the jail in Pontiac to take a Narcan rescue kit for personal use or for a family member who may be dependent on opioids.
The kits contain two doses of medication and an instruction sheet for safe use. The kits normally cost about $75 each but are provided to the sheriff’s office at no charge by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Narcan is believed to be the lone antidote to reverse opioid overdose and prevent death. There is no potential for addiction or abuse and Narcan cannot harm a person who doesn’t have opioids present in their system.
Sheriff Michael Bouchard says they've seen a significant increase in opioid deaths and this program gives law enforcement one more tool to help people.
“This is a nationwide crisis as it was just announced we have hit an all-time high in overdose deaths in the last 12 months,” Bouchard said. “This is everyone’s problem. This program gives us one more tool to help our residents. We have an opportunity to save lives and provide a second chance.”
Data shows more than 100,000 Americans died of opioid overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021. That’s a nearly 30% increase and more than the death toll of car crashes and gun fatalities combines, according to the sheriff’s office
In 2020, Oakland County had 255 drug-related deaths, with 211 of those having the presence of opioids.
The sheriff’s department frequently responds to incidents where Narcan is required, including at least seven in the past two weeks where the subjects were revived, officials said.
There were 67 Narcan “saves” in which a person was revived last year, according to the sheriff’s office.
Through last month in Oakland County, there had been 124 instances of deputies using rescue kits -- all but eight were successful.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is among the first in the state to participate in the Narcan project, which is through Wayne State University's School of Social Work and its Center for Behavioral Health and Justice.
The project is patterned after one launched in Los Angeles in 2019 that saw Narcan vending machines installed in the discharge area and distributed 30,000 individual doses in 2020.
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