Drug reversing effects of opioid overdose to be handed out in England
Exclusive: naloxone will be distributed on the streets as part of pilot scheme in Redcar and Cleveland
A life-saving drug that reverses the effect of an overdose of an opioid, such as heroin, is to be handed out on the street to people in England under a pilot scheme to tackle the record numbers of drug-related deaths.
The main life-threatening effect of an opioid overdose is to slow down or stop breathing – the drug naloxone blocks this effect and reverses breathing difficulties.