Naloxone helps reverse the affects of an opioid overdose.
Washington DC (KM) Since he was elected to Congress last year, Representative David Trone (D-6th) has been pushing for legislation and other measures to deal with the opioid crisis. He recently called on members of the House of Representatives and their staffs to undergo naloxone training. That chemical, also known as NARCAN, can help reverse the affects of an opioid overdose.
“The more we can focus in Congress on that, the more we can get the folks in Congress to see and talk about this tragedy that afflicting the whole country,”: he says.
Representative Trone says the opioid problem affects rural as well as urban and suburban areas. “Frederick County, Washington County, Allegany County, Garrett County, were absolutely getting hammered by this addiction crisis. So bringing focus to Congress I think will be helpful,” he says.
Trone says he and his staff have been trained to on carrying and using naloxone in case they encounter someone whose experiencing the affects of an opioid overdose.
He says more people should be trained in the use of NARCAN. “I think it’s important that folks that know there are folks that are users in their household, in their school, in their workplace, that the product be available,” he says. “If we can save a life until that person can deal with that addiction,’ that’s a pretty damn good day.”
But there needs to be services for these individuals once they get free of their dependence. :”We need to have counselors available when someone hits the hospital, and is going through a close call with dead, which is exactly the case with NARCAN. We got to have counselors available,” says Trone.
Since he was sworn into office, Representative Trone Has been working on the addictions issue. He has taken the lead of a new Freshman Working Group on Addictions. Members meet regularly with experts and visit research and treatment facilities. The Working Group also promotes legislation dealing with the opioid epidemic.
This issue is very important for Trone because his nephew, Ian, died from a fentanyl overdoses in 2016.
By Kevin McManus