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Narcan giveaway in Columbia County

A group is holding monthly giveaways of the drug that reverses overdoses.

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — According to United in Recovery, 43 million Americans are affected by substance abuse disorder. Addiction does not discriminate.

"Any family, socioeconomic class, anybody," Loreen Comstock said.

When someone is overdosing on opioids, minutes matter. Narcan has been proven to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. That's why United in Recovery wants to get Narcan into as many hands as possible.

"Somebody from a local library, or it could be somebody from the university, students, a business on the street, or it could be grandma who knows her grandson has an issue," Comstock said.

United in Recovery is an organization under the United Way. The group is holding monthly Narcan distributions in Columbia County, starting with the one at its office on Main Street in Bloomsburg.

"We're also going to be at the town hall every other month so that we have more visibility in the community, and anybody can stop by," Comstock said.

"Better to have it and not need it, just like a fire extinguisher in your house," David McElwee said.

David McElwee is an EMT in Bloomsburg. He picked up some Narcan.

"I've seen Narcan work in the field; it's a godsend. With the influx of fentanyl and other opioids, I carry it personally, and I make sure others I know have it," McElwee said.

For information on future distributions, click here. 

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