SAN ANTONIO — The rise in drug overdose deaths across the U.S. has prompted heightened awareness among first responders to ensure they’re ready to respond in life-or-death situations.
More than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, according to the CDC, which marks a 15% increase from the previous year.
The Boerne Police Department has equipped its officers with Narcan for the past two years. Narcan or Naloxone is a nasal spray designed to the reverse the effects of someone experiencing an overdose. State grants help supply Narcan for the police agency of 46 officers.
“We just wanted to take a proactive measure to bring in Narcan for our officers, protect them during searches or whenever they’re dealing with the areas going into narcotics,” Perez said. “Not only are our officers protected, our citizens are protected as well.”
In September, Perez attended Boerne ISD’s panel discussion on opioid awareness where he educated parents on the dangers of fentanyl, especially following the overdose deaths of four students in Hays County. Perez echoed the DEA on the increase of rainbow-colored fentanyl entering communities nationwide.
“Fake pills that are being brought in, they look like candy, they look pretty so kids are attracted to them,” Perez said. “Of course these kids don’t realize that they’re either fentanyl or laced with fentanyl or something like that. All it takes is one time.”
Rise Recovery serves as a San Antonio-based non-profit that provides assistance to people who are battling substance abuse. The organization’s CEO Evita Morin stressed a need for increased education on Narcan, especially in school-age environments where teenagers are being exposed to fentanyl or drugs laced with the synthetic opioid.
“It’s really important to know that fentanyl can be mixed into drugs that look like real medication. It can be mixed into marijuana,” Morin said. “If they are engaging in substance use it’s important that they have a support system who’s educated and understands the impact that Narcan can have on their lives.”
To learn more about the programs offered by Rise Recovery, go here.
The Texas Targeted Opioid Response aims to decrease opioid-relate deaths through several programs in partnership with the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing. To learn more, go to morenarcanplease.com.