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Baltimore Co. Hospitals Provided With Narcan To Give To Families Of Overdose Patients

BALTIMORE CO. (WJZ) -- For first responders, Naloxone is the go-to drug to stop overdoses from opioids.

According Baltimore County Health Officer Dr. Gregory Branch, "It's a drug of second chances."

Baltimore County's Health Department wants to increase the chances people will receive naloxone.

Sold under the name Narcan, the county purchased 600 doses.

It will go to the emergency rooms of four area hospitals, but not for treating overdoses in the ER. The Narcan will be given to families of overdose patients.

"We want to be able to give it to that person or their family to prevent deaths," Dr. Branch said.

Because knowing it works and not having it is "the worst case scenario for a parent that has a child that's addicted to some medication," said Dr. Eric Beauvois, ER physician at St. Joseph's Hospital.

"So having this program to get the medication into people's hands is critical," he added.

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