Over 30,000 additional NARCAN doses have been distributed to law enforcement across Wisconsin.
At the Kronenwetter Municipal Center on Thursday, Attorney General Josh Kaul (D-Wisconsin), Kronenwetter Police Chief Terry McHugh, and Marathon County Health Department Public Health Educator Kerry Thieme spoke about the importance of NARCAN helping address the opioid epidemic.
"That's what we want to do with these resources we're bringing into the state is make sure that we're helping communities prevent the worst harms of the opioid epidemic from continuing at the same level they have been," said Kaul.
These extra resources come at a time when five million dollars in funding came from lawsuit settlements Wisconsin brought against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies.
Kronenwetter Police and Fire had a small supply of the drug due to its high cost, but with Thursday’s donation, more NARCAN means more saves.
“When we [Kronenwetter Police] were running at a minimum amount, we just had one box per car,” said McHugh. “That’s not always sufficient. Now we’re able to stuff multiple boxes in a vehicle.”
Overdoses have increased year after year since 2018 in Marathon County and one local health official credited the increased supply as a crucial step.
“I think it’s going to be great for the state of Wisconsin and for us locally because we will have a readily available supply [which is important since NARCAN is] the only medicine that can reverse an opioid overdose to save someone,” said Thieme.
