Lansing police officers are now carrying a life-saving tool that will help people who are experiencing an opioid overdose.
Lansing road patrol officers, narcotic officers, and detention officers are now carrying Evizo Naloxone, or Narcan, auto-injectors thanks to a donation from Kaleo, which was made possible by the Capital Area Project VOX.
Evizo is a pre-filled, single-use, hand-held auto-injector that works by temporarily blocking the effect of an opioid, potentially reversing the life-threatening respiratory depression and allowing the recipient to breathe better.
“The rising number of overdose deaths from opioid-based prescription drugs and heroin is one of the top concerns for our community,” said Lansing Police Chief Mike Yankowski. “This new product delivers a potentially life-saving dose of naloxone via a simple to use auto-injector system that is easy to carry and administer to someone experiencing an opioid overdose.”
Nearly 17,000 Americans die each year from prescription opioid overdose and unintended drug poisoning has surpassed automobile collisions as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, driven largely by prescription opioids.
“We are pleased to be making this donation as a part of our commitment to widen access to naloxone,” said T. Spencer Williamson, CEO of Kaleo. “We are honored to support the outstanding efforts of the first responder community to help save the lives of those who are experiencing an opioid overdose.”
