Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is awarding $3 million in grant funding to help nonprofit clinics provide free Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.
The funding comes at a critical time. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, nearly 2,000 Coloradans have died from drug overdoses in the past two decades.
“We give Narcan out for free to anyone with an opioid use disorder—especially at their first visit and any time they need it,” said Elenor Davis, a family nurse practitioner at Porch Light Health in Grand Junction.
With Narcan priced around $250 per box, the grant could significantly benefit clinics like Porch Light Health. “It enables us to keep more on hand for patients in need,” said clinic manager Charles Jernigan. “This is an expensive medication, and having it readily available means more lives can be saved.”
The $3 million comes from settlements with pharmaceutical companies found responsible for their role in fueling the opioid crisis.
Leave a Reply