By Senator Alexis Weik
Cover credit – Matt Meduri
The more community members who have life-saving knowledge, the stronger and more resilient the community becomes for everyone. Having skills like CPR or AED training can help make the difference between life and death as emergencies happen and we wait for first responders to arrive.
Another life-saving skill, that can be learned and administered with great ease, is Narcan (naloxone) training.
While the number of opioid deaths in New York state is still impactful, in 2024 alone we have seen a 32 percent decrease in overdose deaths thanks to the availability of Narcan (naloxone) and the growing numbers of everyday citizens who have learned how to administer the opioid antagonist through a nasal spray.
In April of this year, I had introduced a bill, S.7163 to the New York State Senate which would require every new student at a SUNY or CUNY school campus to receive training at orientation in the administration of opioid antagonists.
I am a firm believer in the life-saving difference in having an abundance of informed Good Samaritans can make. A moment of youthful indiscretion in trying opioids or other drugs can become the ultimate tragedy, but with large-scale trainings like the bill proposal, we as a community could be prepared to help save a life simply by undoing the effects of fentanyl by administering nasal Narcan.
One nasal spray of naloxone can last for up to 40 minutes. In formal training, it is actually advised to administer the naloxone first before calling 911 because of the effectiveness of Narcan.
The availability and training for Narcan/naloxone has resulted in 68% of suspected opioid overdose encounters being administered the life-saving medicine.
In our own Eighth Senate District, my office has held a number of free Narcan training events in the past year where we have welcomed attendees from all walks of life and different employment backgrounds to come together to know how to help in a dire situation like an opioid overdose. Each attendee received formal training on how to administer Narcan/naloxone and was given a free Narcan/naloxone kit that contained two nasal spray doses of the medication.
The free kit is no bigger than a make-up bag and can be easily carried in a purse, backpack, or in the car for quick access. The training is just as easy and can usually be completed in about an hour.
If you are in the position to administer Narcan, know that the Good Samaritan law also shields you from civil liability when you offer aid to someone in distress in an emergency, as long as you act in good faith and reasonably.
Let’s work together to make a better place for everyone by educating each other on a simple, safe, fast-acting, and life-saving treatment.
For upcoming Narcan/naloxone classes near you, follow us on social media or visit https://oasas.ny.gov/upcoming-naloxone-trainings.
Senator Alexis Weik (R-Sayville) has represented the Eighth District in the New York State Senate since 2023, after being redistricted from the Third District, which she represented from 2021 to 2022. Within the Town of Islip, the Eighth District includes Bayport, Bohemia, Fair Harbor, Great River, Islip Terrace, Lonelyville, North Great River, Oak Beach, Oakdale, Saltaire, Sayville, and West Sayville, as well as parts of Bay Shore, Brightwaters, Captree-Oak Beach-Gilgo, East Islip, Holbrook, Holtsville, Islip hamlet, Ronkonkoma, West Bay Shore, and West Islip. The district also contains parts of the Town of Babylon and the Town of Oyster Bay.
Senator Weik is the Ranking Member of the Committees on Civil Service and Pensions; and Women’s Issues; and serves on the Committees on Education; Local Government; Social Service; and Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs.
The Eighth District office is located at 1 Corporate Drive, Suite GL-005, in Bohemia and can be reached at 631-665-2311.
