CLEVELAND — The lifesaving medication Narcan has been approved for over-the-counter use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And it's expected to help make a difference fighting opioid overdoses in Northeast Ohio.
"I've been Narcaned plenty of times where it saved my life or the reason I'm sitting here with you having this interview," said Curtis Schneider, a recovery peer supporter at Evolve Behavioral Health in Middleburg Heights.
It's safe to say Narcan is a big part of the reason Schneider is alive, and he always has it nearby for others.
"I've been somewhere where I've seen someone overdose on a sidewalk or something like that and been able to pull over and administer it the way it's supposed to be and save a life," Schneider said.
Dr. Ryan Marino with University Hospitals says while Narcan isn't the only step in getting someone into recovery from addiction, it is a vital step.
"The alternative is quite literally death, so there are very few things I can think of that are quite as profound to watch as the way Narcan works and can revive someone on the brink of death and bring them back," Dr. Marino said.
It's a very real issue right here in Cleveland. In 2021, 348 people died from fatal overdoses and about 85% who die from a drug overdose here are found to have fentanyl in their system. The rate of opioids is even higher, according to the Cleveland Department of Public Health.
"It's not a full solution to our overdose problem. It's not going to prevent overdoses. It's not going to get people necessarily into recovery, but the alternative to Narcan in an overdose is that someone dies," Dr. Marino said.