FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 20, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Melrose Police Department to Host Community Meeting on Narcan

MELROSE — Chief Michael Lyle and Kathleen Guevara from the Melrose Substance Abuse Coalition announce that the Melrose Police Department will host its March community meeting on nasal Naloxone (Narcan) and how to use the life-saving opioid reversal drug.

Narcan, an opioid antagonist, can quickly reverse the effects of a potentially fatal painkiller or heroin overdose by displacing the drug from the receptors in the brain. It has minimal side effects, is not dangerous if administered to a person who is not overdosing and it has no potential for abuse.

All of Melrose’s police cruisers are equipped with Narcan and every officer is trained on how to use the reversal drug. Melrose Police have deployed Narcan on numerous occasions, giving victims another chance to seek treatment to overcome their addiction. Nasal Naloxone is also available for those in need without a prescription and is covered by most health insurance companies.

To best ensure that community members and families who fear their loved ones may overdose know how to access and use the drug, Melrose Police and the Substance Abuse Coalition will focus on educating participants on how to administer Narcan. The Melrose Police Department will distribute a number of Naloxone kits to attendees.

The community meeting will be held at the Milano Senior Center, 201 West Foster St., on Wednesday, March 29 from 6-8 p.m.

Guest speakers and presenters include a survivor of Narcan, Chief Lyle, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and representatives from Cataldo Ambulance and the Melrose Substance Abuse Coalition.

“We know that no community is immune to the negative effects of the nationwide opioid epidemic,” Chief Lyle said. “We certainly want residents and those with loved ones struggling with addiction to be equipped with Narcan and to know how and when to use the opioid reversal drug.”

The event is part of the department’s monthly community meetings initiative, where police and other city and state officials gather to discuss prevalent topics with members of the community.

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