In the Pacific Northwest, organizations work on distributing naloxone

Naloxone can be used to reverse an opioid overdose in an emergency situation. It’s available over the counter at a pharmacy, but some advocates say that’s not enough to get it into the hands of people who need it most. Project Red offers overdose prevention supplies like naloxone to restaurants, bars and other establishments. The Naloxone Project is an organization with chapters in several states including Colorado and Washington. Its goal is to have hospitals distribute naloxone to at-risk patients. Ellen Wirshup is the program manager for Project Red. Stephen Anderson is the chair of the board for The Naloxone Project. They join us with more on their efforts to make naloxone freely available.