The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to make naloxone, known as Narcan, available at all county libraries. Library staff will also be trained on how to administer the drug to someone who has overdosed on an opioid, like fentanyl.
The new program may expand soon. Santa Clara County is considering partnerships with cities like San Jose and Mountain View that have their own library systems.
Narcan was approved as a prescription drug in 2015, and it’s the standard treatment to reverse an opioid overdose by blocking the drug’s effects on the brain.
Supervisor Otto Lee said, "By increasing access to these kits, we can help prevent opioid-related deaths and ensure that our community has the resources it needs to stay safe and healthy."
The decision comes after other library systems across the country also made Narcan kits freely available to members of the public. Among them are the San Francisco Public Library, and the library systems in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Denver.
