Narcan to be provided to 25% of Alexandria restaurants by end of year to combat opioid overdoses

The overdose-reversal drug Narcan is displayed during training for employees of the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), Dec. 4, 2018, in Philadelphia. …

The overdose-reversal drug Narcan is displayed during training for employees of the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), Dec. 4, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

by: Anna Chen

Posted: May 24, 2023 / 03:17 PM EDT

Updated: May 24, 2023 / 03:21 PM EDT

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now) — The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) and the City of Alexandria’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) said they are partnering with restaurants to prevent opioid-related deaths.

AHD and DCHS will offer trainings on overdose prevention and offer Naloxone, or Narcan, training and supplies to restaurants in the city.

Narcan is a type of medicine that reverses an opioid overdose. It works as an “opioid antagonist,” according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

“It feels really great to connect with the community and spread awareness on the opioid overdose epidemic,” Alisha Archer, an AHD Environmental Health Outreach Specialist, stated in a news release.

The trainings will include information on addiction-related stigma, opioids, overdose prevention and how to safely administer Narcan.

AHD plans to speak with restaurants and provide Narcan to 25% of restaurants by the end of 2023.