Opioid overdoses are on the rise in Florida's Panhandle. To help its victims, the regional drug treatment program called DISC Village is making more life-saving antidotes available.
DISC Village adult program director Jennifer Travieso said the opioid crisis is the worst she's seen in her 17 years of dealing with substance use disorders.
"As long as I've been here, this year of 2022 we've seen an incredible number of fatal overdoses," Travieso said.
Most of those overdoses, she added, are caused by the powerful opioid fentanyl. Now, she said DISC Village has a new tool to fight the epidemic.
"We just received 200 boxes of Kloxxado, which is an 8-milligram internasal naloxone, which is similar to Narcan but double the dose," Travieso said.
The medication can reverse the effects of opioid overdose as a bridge to emergency medical care.
The 800 doses were donated by Hikma Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the medication.
Travieso said Kloxxado will be made available to first responders as well as family, friends and caregivers of individuals who might be at risk for an opioid overdose.
The DISC Village website shows where and how the medications can be obtained in Leon, Franklin, Gadsen and Jefferson counties.
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