BLUEFIELD, WV (WVVA) – It only takes a few minutes for a person to die from an overdose, but thanks to the availability of naloxone, lives are being saved all over the state.
“I think what we've realized is we've got a real problem here,” says Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R). We've got a huge drug epidemic, a huge growth in heroine and prescription drug abuse. We have one way to save lives and hopefully cause some recovery and treatment."
By just using a device that is this small, and simply putting it up a patient's nose there able to save a life in only a matter of seconds.
"Today I wanted to talk about the comprehensive addiction recovery act that we just passed out of the Senate,” says Sen. Capito. “It helps with more availability of naloxone, which will help to stop a heroine or an opiod overdose. It could save lives."
Senator Capito learned herself about the use of naloxone today. Something Erica Bartling teaches to help save families, not just lives.
"If someone was there with naloxone, it was possible that they were saved,” says Bartling. “I will say this, there is a small window after someone is saved that they do realize that they've hit rock bottom at that point and then they'll seek treatment."
Bartling says members of her family have been affected by drugs, and having naloxone may have prevented tragedy.
"You've got to realize this is someone's family, this is their brother, sister, mom, dad. Everyone's affected by tragedy and that is why, if someone were to die and not be saved by naloxone... It's very simple to use, I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to have it."