1,000 places in Ohio to save a life from overdose

Ohioans across 90 percent of the state now have easy access to a drug that could've saved, on average, eight lives a day in 2015.

The overdose reversal drug naloxone is now available for purchase without a prescription at 1,000 pharmacies in 79 of Ohio's 88 counties, according to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.

“Increasing the availability of naloxone is essential in preventing fatal drug overdoses impacting our state,” said State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Executive Director Steven W. Schierholt.

Ohio’s fatal drug overdoses topped 3,000 in 2015

Naloxone can reverse an overdose that is caused by prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl, which were the primary drugs cited in the unintentional overdose deaths of 3,050 Ohioans in 2015. When administered during an overdose, naloxone blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and can restore breathing in a matter of minutes.

Expanding access to it has been a major part of Ohio’s strategy to curb the increasing overdoses and deaths attributed to heroin and stronger drugs.

Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, can be administered before emergency responders arrive. It isn’t harmful if the recipient hasn’t actually overdosed on heroin or similar drugs.

Gov. John Kasich signed a law last year enabling pharmacies to distribute the reversal drug to an at-risk opioid user or a user’s relative or friend without a prescription.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.