A campaign has been launched in Somerset to end opioid overdoses by providing users with easy-to-access lifesaving information and medication.
The ‘Carry Naloxone’ campaign promotes a new app that signposts people to locations that supply free Naloxone - a drug used to reverse opioid overdose.
Opioids are pain-relieving medicines that should only be used under medical supervision, as they carry a high risk of dependence and addiction. It’s estimated that 2,000 people in Somerset use opioids and are at risk of overdoses.
The campaign began as a research project funded by Somerset Council to encourage people to carry Naloxone with them. Posters are being displayed in railway stations and supermarkets, to emphasise the importance of carrying a Naloxone kit, what steps to take to reduce the risk of overdose, and how to respond to an opioid overdose.
When administered quickly, Naloxone can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, with the app helping people find locations to quickly access free Naloxone.
Two new litter-pick stations have been installed, equipped with litter pickers and reusable bags for anyone to borrow and do their own two-minute clean-up at countryside sites across South Somerset.