KOKOMO, Ind. — Overdose reversing drug Narcan has gained national attention and acclaim for literally bringing victims across the country back to life — allowing many to seek treatment to remedy opioid addiction and abuse. But when it comes to Narcan, most people in a central Indiana community have the same question: What difference is it making?

Overall, Narcan, or naloxone, deployments in Howard County have become more common for police and fire agencies in 2017, but have stayed mostly steady for local hospital medics, according to data obtained by the Kokomo, Indiana Tribune.

 “It’s helped in situations, but again, that is just a temporary fix and an immediate — it solves the problem immediately, really doesn’t address the overall problem, again, that we have here in our community, we have in the state and really across the country,” Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight said in an interview with Indiana Public Media released Wednesday.

Narcan, an opioid antidote, has become a commonplace overdose-fighting tool among school, health and law enforcement officials nationwide. However, the drug has caused controversy in states like Ohio where the cost of carrying it has officials at wit’s end. The drug has revived thousands in communities affected by powerful opioids like heroin, fentanyl and the powerful elephant tranquilizer carfentanil. 

The medication has also maintained its place at the forefront of conversations about the ongoing drug epidemic, from the continuing doubts and stigma that likely impact its presence in family homes, to its role as a placeholder until a more comprehensive solution can be found.

In Howard County, there were eight total “overdose Narcan” calls for service through the first half of 2017, according to Howard County 911 Communications Director Gary Bates. An “overdose Narcan” call is defined as an overdose call in which police or fire agencies respond and administer Narcan before medics arrive.

There were nine such calls last year, putting the county on pace to nearly double the 2016 total. In 2015, there were only two “overdose Narcan” calls for service.

“When responding to a potential overdose call, the availability of Narcan (Naloxone) affords our officers with an additional tool to assist individuals,” said Kokomo Police Department Capt. Tonda Cockrell in a statement.

“It is out goal to serve and protect all of the citizens of our community. This tool provides our officers with a manner in which to serve individuals in those critical minutes of an opioid overdose,” she later added.

Narcan deployments, however, have stayed largely stagnant for local hospital medics.

It is likely, say local officials, that Narcan’s increased presence has played a role in Howard County’s overdose deaths figures.

Some local officials expressed optimism at the end of last year, as the county’s overdose death figure dropped from 34 confirmed drug overdose deaths in 2015 to 24 in 2016 despite a drastic increase in the number of dispatched calls to potential overdose scenes.

According to information compiled by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, opioid addiction is driving the nation’s accidental death epidemic with 20,101 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 12,990 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2015.

In Indiana, Narcan was an explanation offered by many, including Howard County Public Health Project Coordinator Jennie Cauthern.

“The fact that law enforcement and first responders have naloxone is very beneficial,” she said in a previous interview about the 2016 drop in overdose deaths.

“That will lower our overdose numbers. More people are getting it right there at the time of the 911 call. I think that [death] number could be even lower if we get the word out to our high-risk people that naloxone is available over the counter.”

Cauthern expanded on those thoughts in an interview last week, highlighting the importance of getting Narcan into the hands of lay responders, or family and friends.

In over half of overdose deaths, another person was present, noted Cauthern, meaning someone was available to immediately deploy Narcan.

“I feel like there’s still stigma in the community, that people are afraid to come and get trained,” she said, explaining that the medication’s nasal spray makes it easy for nearly anyone to utilize.

About why a stigma still exists, Cauthern said people are often worried about getting labeled as someone associated with drug addicts when obtaining Narcan, even for a family member. There are also concerns, she said, about whether or not Narcan enables drug addicts.

“Even though first responders have it, if friends and families are reluctant to have it because they feel like it’s enabling the person that has substance use disorder” avoidable overdose deaths will continue, said Cauthern.

Despite the increased, if not ubiquitous, presence of Narcan, Howard County is still on pace to nearly double last year’s totals related to drug overdose deaths.

“Statistics show that having Narcan available and widely used throughout the community does not increase drug use,” she added. “I think once people get to that point that they’re realizing by having Narcan available they are saving a life…I think they’ll be more willing to come in and have their own rescue kits available for friends and family.”

Myers writes for CNHI’s Indiana Media Group.

Local residents can access Narcan by attending a training session at the Howard County Health Department, 120 E. Mulberry St., Room 206. Sessions are held from 1 to 2 p.m. every Tuesday, or health department officials can be contacted at 765-456-2403 for a more convenient time.