This year’s Kane County Fair had all the usual carnival rides and summer treats like funnel cake and fresh squeezed lemonade, but it also had something different. Free Narcan nasal spray.

The Kane County Health Department gave away 768 doses of Narcan nasal spray at its booth at last week’s fair.

“There was really good interest,” said Michael Isaacson, the health department’s executive director. Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan for over-the-counter sales.

Isaacson thinks the FDA’s action helped put a spotlight on the lifesaving medication. Narcan, also called Naloxone, can reverse an opioid overdose by blocking the effects of the drug on the brain and restoring breathing, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“I think the word is getting out that naloxone is a good thing to have around … you may be able to save someone’s life,” Isaacson said. “We certainly aren’t supporting people using drugs, but we do want to keep people alive. As a harm reduction strategy, we want to make it as safe as possible for people, so they eventually get into recovery.”

Kane County Health Department officials are spending the summer at large public gatherings to distribute free Narcan. “The Kane County Fair is one venue where we can communicate with a large number of residents and get them educated about overdoses and provide them with naloxone,” Isaacson said.

Health Department officials are also passing out Narcan during the Kane County Sheriff’s Office National Night Out being held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1, at the sheriff’s office, 37W755 Illinois Route 38, St. Charles. Free Narcan will be distributed at the downtown Aurora Farmers Market on Thursday, Aug. 17, and the Aurora Farmers Market- West Plaza on Saturday, Sept. 16.

Opioids laced with fentanyl have been a leading cause of overdose deaths in Kane County and around the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show 500,000 Americans died of an overdose from 1999 to 2022. It has been labeled a national epidemic.

Kane County had 99 people die of an overdose in 2022, a 20% increase over the past four years, according to the health department’s data. A total of 419 people overdosed and were transported to a Kane County hospital, it stated.

Elgin Police reported three overdoses in May and four in June. Carpentersville Police responded to what was described as a mass overdose earlier this year involving three people.

“In an effort to address the continuing toll of fentanyl on our residents, the Kane County Health Department is working with partners across the community to get naloxone (Narcan) distributed,” Isaacson said.

Substance abuse disorder counselors and treatment centers cheered the FDA’s action, but worried whether families or those with the disorder could afford Narcan. GOOD-RX tracks prescription drug prices and reports the cost is about $130 for a two-dose container.

Kane County is able to distribute Narcan for free through the Illinois Department of Human Services, Isaacson said. “We are able to order and distribute this at no charge,” he said.

The department has worked for years to provide Narcan to police officers and treatment centers. But the health department stepped up efforts to get Narcan into the hands of community groups and the friends and family of people dealing with substance use disorders.

Overdoses and overdose deaths affect families across all the health department’s communities, regarding age, socio-economic status, or other factors, Isaacson said. “This is something that is a threat to most families. Most families know someone impacted” by the loss of a son, daughter, niece, nephew or loved one to an overdose, he said.

One of the Health Department’s partners is Mathers Recovery Center in Elgin. The health department’s website lists all the places Narcan is available for free.

“The more folks that can get access to Narcan, the better off we are,” said Cindy Eckholm, who is the center’s office manager. She is studying to obtain her certification as a recovery counselor and plans to do her internship at Mathers Recovery Center.

For recovery professionals, it’s a relief to know Narcan is becoming widely available because it ensures the safety of patients, Eckholm said. It’s especially important because fentanyl is so much stronger than other opioids, she said.

Eckholm said patients and families are trained to use Narcan, which is easy to use.

The Health Department also posted a video explaining the process on its social media. Administering Narcan is highly effective and safe, it stated. There’s more information about Narcan, signs of an overdose, how to use it and where to get help with substance abuse disorder at https://www.kanehealth.com.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.

Originally Published: Jul 22, 2023 at 11:17 am