Ocean City’s joins the fight against Opioids and Overdoses in the community
Narcan on the Boardwalk
MARYLAND – Local emergency officials are trying to address the opioid epidemic to save lives in Ocean City, and the Fire Department is just one of the groups supporting harm reduction on the Shore.
Chief Richard Bowers said he’s glad that Narcan is available to the public, and believes the Mayor’s office made the right decision to have it readily accessible on the boardwalk. “Well, public access for Narcan keeps our residents, visitors, and our entire community safe… It’s free, and everyone is welcome to it, We hope that no one ever has the opportunity to use it>
Narcan, of course, is a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Many people see Narcan as controversial, so I took to the streets of Ocean City to see if people actually know what Narcan is used for. Zack Mack, who is just 18 years old, is familiar with the medication. “I know they help people survive if they mess up on drugs, they do too much, get all screwed up, they fall asleep, it wakes them back up.”
However, some Beachgoers, like Amanda Massey, question how much Narcan is really helping, and is not sure where to stand on all of this. “I mean I get the point on why people are trying to have public access to this, however, I also feel like it kind of encourages people to want to overdose more, because they can quickly access this kit. Other visitors, like Sarah Stiles, had very strong opinions about it. “I feel like they promote people actually doing more drug use, knowing that this is a backup plan in case they are overdosing. I feel like, if there is an overdose problem, they should be calling 911, not going to a box.”
In the end, the Fire Department says that you should call 911 regardless, and don’t be afraid to jump in and save someone’s life. “Any life, one life with the use of Narcan, is worth its weight in gold.” says Chief Bowers
The Narcan is available to anyone who needs it, and the life-saving medication can be found at various spots along the boardwalk. AED machines have also been strategically placed next to the Narcan to aid in an emergency.
