BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

CANTON -- The St. Lawrence County legislature on Monday unanimously voted to accept $72,000 from the state Department of Health to help increase access to medications like naloxone and buprenorphine.

Naloxone, sometimes marketed under the brand name Narcan, is a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Later in the meeting, Public Health Director Dana McGuire said 108 people in St. Lawrence County have been trained in responding to an overdose and administering Narcan. The trainings have been given through the county’s Community Services Department at 22 public libraries. She added that 32 people were trained in administering Narcan at the “Shredding the Stigma” opioid awareness event at the end of August.

“The smallest towns have the largest crowds,” McGuire said of the Narcan training events.

For those who don’t have it, Narcan is available without a prescription from pharmacies and is covered by some insurance.

Buprenorphine is marketed under the name brand Suboxone. The medication is prescribed by a doctor to help people manage opioid withdrawal symptoms.

The resolution, introduced by Legislator William Sheridan, R-Hammond, says the money can also be used for providing “targeted provider education and support on prescribing buprenorphine in primary care, emergency departments, and correctional facilities.”

“This funding can be used to build linkages to health services and strengthen relationships with schools, law enforcement and emergency services.”

The bill was seconded by legislators Nicole Terminelli, D-Massena, Rita Curran, R-Massena, Nance Arquette, D-Winthrop, and Kevin Acres, R-Madrid.