MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — All 55 West Virginia’s counties are participating in the annual Save a Life Day on Thursday, an effort focused on providing the overdose reversal drug naloxone to the most at-risk members of the state’s population.
Law enforcement and first responders often carry the drug — also known as its brand name Narcan — but campaigns like Thursday’s event focus on distributing naloxone to as many people as possible.
“It’s a very rare occurrence anymore to give Narcan initially in the emergency room for the overdoses,” said Dr. Chris Edwards, the medical director of Mon Health Systems’ emergency department.
Edwards noted physicians in the health care system primarily see overdoses related to using heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine.
“In the Morgantown area, we’re seeing more methamphetamines,” he said, “but we’re also seeing more of the methamphetamine mixed with the fentanyl.”
Edwards said he is concerned about the trend of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and multi-colored versions of the drug. He added new opioids are more likely to cause overdoses.
“The unfortunate circumstance is most people have no idea what’s in the drugs they are using,” he stated.
More than 180 locations across West Virginia will offer naloxone and fentanyl testing strips.