Health

Opioids: Turning the Tide in the Crisis

00000174-c556-d691-a376-cdd69e980000Day after day, week after week, the headlines in Northeast Ohio and across much of the country contain news of tragic loss: lives lost to opioids. It’s a problem that knows no bounds: geography, race, gender, level of education or income.The problem took on new urgency this summer as the powerful elephant sedative, Carfentanil, began hitting the streets. First responders armed with their only weapon, the overdose antidote Naloxone, have struggled to keep up with what’s become an overwhelming problem. It’s an issue that’s straining public and social resources. What has become clear is that business as usual is not going to fix the problem.WKSU news has been covering the unfolding crisis. Tuesdays during Morning Edition, the WKSU news team digs even deeper. WKSU reporters will examine what’s led us here and what might be done to turn the tide. Support for Opioids: Turning the Tide in the Crisis comes from Wayne Savings Community Bank, Kent State University Office of Continuing and Distance Education, Hometown Grocery Delivery, Mercy Medical Center, AxessPointe Community Health Center, Community Support Services, Inc., Medina County District Library and Hudson Community First.00000174-c556-d691-a376-cdd69e980001

Akron High Schools and Middle Schools Will Have Narcan on Hand as a Precaution

Ideastream Public Media

Published July 11, 2017 at 3:57 PM EDT

Akron Public Schools will have Narcan on hand this fall. Monday, the school board approved equipping the district’s 18 high schools and middle schools with the opioid overdose antidote.

Although there has never been a reported overdose case in an Akron school, in the face of the opioid crisis the school board decided to take preemptive action.

School spokesman Mark Williamson says having Narcan available is a first step.

“Everything we’ve talked up until now has been in sort of generalities and sketches of what this will look like But we have a little bit of time before the start of the school year to have this policy written and then approved and put in place.”

Williamson says Narcan nasal spray is to be carried by school resource officers during school hours. He says it will be carried by each school resource officer during his or her shift.