CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education committee has voted to put naloxone, otherwise known as Narcan in every district school.
The plan, which still needs to be approved by the full CMS school board, comes amid growing concerns over overdoses that have happened nationwide involving fentanyl and other opiates.
District officials said they had planned to look into providing the opioid-overdose-reducing medication in the 2017-18 school year and noted they were looking into data involving injection drug use.
However, concerns about prescription and non-prescription overdoses led to a reconsideration of district policy, specifically involving First Aid and Emergency Medical Care.
District officials indicated that Mecklenburg County health officials are ready to provide the Narcan nasal spray to every CMS school.
The change would add naloxone to the list of emergency health care treatment, which also includes the use of a defibrillator, hands-only COPR, and administration of Epinephrine. Additionally, it allows “personnel who receive basic instruction and information on how to administer Naloxone” to administer the medication.
The policy change now goes to the CMS Board of Education.
District officials indicated the first reading of the policy change will be on December 12, with another reading and vote taking place on Jan. 22, 2024.
