Rep. Carter spreads awareness for opioid overdose reversal meds during Savannah visit

The number of naloxone prescriptions in the U.S. increased 203% from 2018-2022, according to American Medical Association data. But in March 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved naloxone for over-the-counter purchase.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-1) has made naloxone access a legislative priority, and he visited the Habersham Village Walgreens during a recent stop in Savannah to spread awareness about the over-the-counter option.

"It's important because we need people to know this is available," Carter said. "When you're losing 200 people every day to fentanyl poisoning, there needs to be an education out there that there is a drug out there that can reduce the effects of this, if used quickly enough, and people need to have it on hand."

Naloxone is the generic name for a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses by blocking the effects of opioids. In 2021, more than 75% of U.S. overdose deaths involved an opioid, according to the CDC.

One medical study cited by the CDC found bystanders were present in more than one in three opioid overdoses.

A piece of legislation Carter has touted is the Saving Lives in Schools Act, which would require elementary and secondary schools to carry naloxone in emergency kits.

"That's where Narcan/naloxone should be, in every emergency box in America," Carter said. "Wherever you see a fire extinguisher in a school, or a defibrillator, you ought to see Narcan or naloxone."

Walgreens in Habersham Village has a few options to purchase over-the-counter naloxone. There are options behind the register and another close to the pharmacy service window.

The location's pharmacy manager, Allison Nguyen, said the near-service window option is available for those who would like to purchase the medication with more privacy.

"We can fill the prescription here, but we can also recommend it to anyone to get it," Nguyen said.

A 2022 report by the nonprofit news organization The Current revealed Carter, in his prior profession as an owner of Pooler pharmacies, had received the fourth highest amount of opioids in Chatham County from 2006 to 2014, according to federal government records. Carter, however, often points to securing the U.S. Southern border as a solution to addressing opioid use.

Year-to-year fentanyl captures at the Southern border have increased since 2022, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. However, 80% of fentanyl traffickers were U.S. citizens in fiscal year 2022, according to data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

Carter said his other advocacy includes including drug therapy in mental health legislation and Sammy's Law, which would alert parents to potentially dangerous online internet activity by their children. The law is named for Sammy Chapman, who died from fentanyl-laced drugs purchased from a dealer on Snapchat.

Carter said a multi-faceted approach to addressing opioid overdoses is key to tackling the issue.

"I want to make sure that we have everything available, and as many tools in our tool chest as we can get," Carter said.

Evan Lasseter is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Rep. Carter spreads awareness for opioid overdose reversal meds in Savannah