ADS CEO, Ron Rau, In Attendance at Historic Naloxone Bill Signing

by Max Menius / Tuesday, 21 June 2016 / Published in Addiction in Media, Drug Laws, Drug Legislation, Naloxone, Narcan, Opioid Overdose, Overdose Prevention, Prescription Drug Abuse, Recovery, Treatment and Recovery

Historic NC Legislation

More than 1000 people die each year in North Carolina as a result of opioid overdose. On June 20th, Governor Pat McCrory signed legislation authorizing NC pharmacies to make available, without a prescription, the life-saving drug: naloxone.

Naloxone has been used by first responders and other medical professionals across the country to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

North Carolina is the third state in the country to issue the standing prescription order for naloxone. The legislation was moved forward at the recommendation of the Governor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Abuse who delivered a report to Governor McCrory advocating for increased opioid treatment resources and improved overdose prevention measures – such as the use of naloxone.

3300 lives in North Carolina have been saved by the emergency administration of naloxone. It is expected that other states will pass similar legislation in an effort to curtail the devastating effects of opioid addiction in their communities.

Here is the NC Health & Human Services press release on this historic event.

Ron Rau, CEO of Alcohol and Drug Services, is pictured far right.