Free naloxone in Lehigh, Northampton counties

The lifesaving, overdose-reversal medication naloxone will be available free at more than 95 locations across the state on Wednesday and Sept. 25.

The initiative is part of the state’s second Stop Overdoses in PA: Get Help Now Week, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday.

“We can all be first responders if we come across someone who is experiencing an overdose from heroin or opioids, and so receiving and carrying naloxone is vital,” Wolf said in a news release.

“That’s why I am encouraging all Pennsylvanians to find a location near them and to pick up a free naloxone kit on Sept. 18 or 25.”

In Lehigh County, kits can be picked up at the Lehigh County State Health Center, 3730 Lehigh St., Whitehall.

In Northampton County, kits can be picked up at the Northampton County State Health Center, 1600 Northampton St., Easton.

Wolf first signed a 90-day Opioid Disaster Declaration in January 2018, and recently renewed it for the seventh time. The 17 state agencies working as part of the Opioid Command Center focus on three areas: prevention, rescue and treatment.

Naloxone is a rescue component with more than 25,000 lives saved in the state with the medication.

“When someone is revived from an overdose, we can help move them into treatment and recovery,” Wolf said in the release.

“Without naloxone, we wouldn’t be able to help so many people suffering from opioid use disorder. With it, we are making a difference.”

The opioid crisis has certainly had an effect in both counties, although as education efforts increase, the number of deaths has declined.

Northampton County investigated 81 drug-related deaths in 2018, a decrease of more than 44% from the previous year.

And Lehigh County recorded 160 cases, down more than 18%.