August is National Overdose Awareness Month so a Baltimore nonprofit, Love In The Trenches (LITT) introduced ‘Undo the OD,’ an initiative which supports local establishments in helping to decrease the number of overdose deaths.
Under ‘Undo the OD’ LITT will supply local bars, restaurants, schools, libraries with Narcan nasal spray, a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of opioid overdose, free of charge.
LITT states the nasal spray is similar to carrying an EpiPen, another preventative measure that keeps community members safe in the case of an allergic reaction and has the power to save a life.
According to LITT, “1,217 Marylanders died from opioid-related overdoses through the second calendar quarter of 2021. Fentanyl was involved in 92.8 percent of these deaths.“
“This campaign guarantees that public gathering spaces have the means to save a life in the event of an overdose,” says Kelly Gill, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Love In The Trenches. “It’s just like having Band-Aids in your first aid kit. It really is the first line of defense in saving a life.”
A member of LITT’s team will visit facilities to train staff on administering the medication and leave them with a Narcan kit. The kit includes two doses and LITT will replace kits as needed to ensure at least two doses are readily on hand.
To receive more information on Love in the Trenches or Undo the OD visit www.loveinthetrenches.org/narcan-saves-lives.
