Rep. Buddy Carter (R) took the initiative recently to successfully advocate for the installation of overdose reversal kits in five House Office buildings. The kits are located right next to the automated external defibrillators and are meant to showcase the need for naloxone.
For context, naloxone is an opioid reversal treatment that can be acquired fairly easily. According to a CDC overdose prevention page, naloxone works by blocking the effects of opioids. This applies to many different opioids such as heroin, morphine, oxycodone, and notably, fentanyl.
Opioid overdoses can cause a person to stop breathing, but naloxone interferes and restores normal breathing within minutes of an overdose.
To administer naloxone, it can be injected into a person’s skin or sprayed into their nose. This treatment is reliably safe and will not negatively impact someone, even if they are not experiencing an overdose.
In a press release from Rep. Carter’s office, it is explained how the House is seeking to lead by example. It wants to normalize the presence of naloxone and ensure the public of its safety and effectiveness.
This is especially important, given that overdoses remain the leading cause of death for adults aged 18-45. Rep. Carter commented on the importance of these kits and called the installation of them a “huge win for public safety.”
“By making opioid reversal kits as common as defibrillators and fire extinguishers, we will arm citizens with critical tools to combat the opioid epidemic. I am proud that the U.S. Capitol is leading the way,” Rep. Carter stated. “We can and must ensure that schools and other public and private buildings across the nation have similar access to this life-saving treatment.”
Currently, the kits are to be located near the entrance of each building and will be filled by the Sergeant at Arms.
