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Overdose death toll declines; antidote access expands

A southwest Ohio county that expanded availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone has been seeing a decline in its overdose death toll.

A southwest Ohio county that expanded availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone has been seeing a decline in its overdose death toll.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports Hamilton County's program of increasing overdose antidote availability and quick response to requests for addiction treatment started last fall. Public health officials increased distribution of the overdose-reversing Narcan nasal spray by 375 percent over a 7-month period.

The newspaper reports that Hamilton County coroner's reports show a 34 percent drop in overdose deaths in the first five months of 2018 compared to the same period last year.

Hamilton County Health Commissioner Tim Ingram says he's "cautiously optimistic" about the program's direction.

The University of Cincinnati is heading the tracking and research on the county's project, but hasn't completed its work.

Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com

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