Central Illinois officials help police acquire drug antidote

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Law enforcement in Springfield are benefiting from local public officials' efforts to give them easier access to an opioid overdose antidote.

A 2015 Illinois law requires police agencies to carry Narcan, a nasal spray used to treat narcotic overdoses in an emergency, The State Journal-Register (http://bit.ly/2tB7cpm ) reported. The law is in response to an ongoing national opioid abuse epidemic. In Illinois more than 1,800 died from opioid-related overdoses in 2015, a 16 percent increase from 2013.

Springfield police have saved 12 people since February with the spray.

The Sangamon County Department of Public Health has contributed to the rescues by helping police agencies acquire a better price for the drug.

"It's already been rewarding," said Jim Stone, director of the department. "We know the opioid epidemic is a large issue that we all should be addressing."

Carol Searcy, a registered nurse who is the department's chief of infectious diseases, said the state certified the agency last year as drug overdose prevention program so it could help coordinate the Narcan distribution.

Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow said the Police Department sets aside $12,000 to $15,000 annually to buy the drug because the law's requirement doesn't include funding. Each kit costs $75 and contains two doses.

"On our end, it's been pretty well seamless," Winslow said. "It's really worked."

A total of nearly 240 kits have been acquired by police agencies in the county.

Stone said Sangamon County's Narcan distribution may be expanded to surrounding counties and other police agencies in the county, such as the agency at Lincoln Land Community College and the Secretary of State police.

___

Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com