By Bob Katzen

This committee held a hearing on several bills including:

AVAILABILITY OF NARCAN IN SCHOOLS (S 1422) – Would require all school districts to create a Narcan overdose prevention program.

Narcan, also known by its generic name naloxone, is an emergency treatment used for the complete or partial reversal of an opioid overdose. The measure would require every school nurse to be trained in Narcan assistance and to have Narcan in the nurse’s office. Another provision requires all public schools to offer training to junior high school and high school students on how to administer naloxone hydrochloride, in nasal spray form.

“I’m in the camp that Narcan should be available everywhere — absolutely everywhere, including in our schools,” said sponsor Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield). “It absolutely terrifies me that a growing number of high school students are using drugs, many of which could be unknowingly contaminated with a deadly contaminant like fentanyl. We can and must increase access to these life-saving medications in our communities, because in those terrifying minutes when an overdose occurs, every second is so critical to prevent death.”