Pennsylvania State Police will begin carrying the heroin antidote Naloxone to combat the growing number of heroin and opioid overdoses nationally and across the state, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday.
In Pennsylvania, heroin and opioid overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death. In 2013, about 2,400 people in the state died from drug overdoses.
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Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Marcus L. Brown said in a statement that state police will be trained in administering the lifesaving nasal-spray drug known as Narcan.
"At times, our troopers may be first on the scene of an overdose and this gives them another tool to deal with the emergencies they encounter,” Brown said.
Donation from Aetna, Geisinger Health, Health Partner Plans, and Highmark, are helping to supply the antidote. Every state patrol car in Pennsylvania will be equipped with two naloxone doses.
Read the full release here.