To respond to Guy Morgan’s concern about bartenders being able to administer Narcan to customers whether or not they are having an overdose (“Are bartenders trained on opioid overdoses?,” Star-Advertiser, June 17): It’s very simple.
Would you ask or delay giving CPR to someone who might or might not be having a heart attack? Do you think bartenders should be required to learn CPR? These are the same questions you should ask yourself about giving Narcan.
Unlike CPR, which can on occasion break a person’s ribs, Narcan will not harm an individual, whether or not they are having an overdose. Using Narcan is just like using nasal spray. It’s one squirt into each nostril — very simple. There are even pictures with the instructions.
As for learning CPR, you usually have to take a pretty detailed class to do it just right.
Narcan will soon be available in pharmacies. I keep one in my car just in case, so I don’t stand around watching someone die when I could have taken just 20 seconds to save their life. Overdoses, like heart attacks, are now a fact of life in our society. Don’t be afraid to step up.
Kip Anderson
Salt Lake
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