Yavapai County Community Health Services will distribute Narcan kits to schools throughout the county this semester in case of an opioid overdose emergency.
Narcan – the brand name for naloxone – is a medicine that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The Food and Drug Administration approved the nasal spray for over-the-counter, nonprescription use in March.
Yavapai County has reported one fentanyl death among teenagers so far this year.
Sedona Red Rock News reports that school officials have called the move a proactive, preventative measure.
The Centers for Disease Control says Narcan is a critical and effective tool in preventing overdose deaths.