Monmouth High Schools Join Fight Against Overdoses

FREEHOLD - Monmouth County Prosecutor, Christopher J. Gramiccioni was joined by county medical and school officials Tuesday to announce a program that would aid in the fight against drug overdoses.

The program would equip every school in Monmouth County with Naloxone. According to drugs.com, Naloxone "blocks or reverses the effects of opioid medication, including extreme drowsiness, slowed breathing, or loss of consciousness."

Gramiccioni goes on to mention and stresses the importance of local schools being prepared in case of an "overdose emergency". "We have not had a drug overdose death at any school in Monmouth County. But with that said, one never knows whether an overdose could occur at or near a school" said Gramiccioni.

Gramiccioni says that even though Monmouth County schools haven't had an overdose death yet, that no one ever knows whether an overdose is going to occur at or near a school. "Having additional trained staff to administer Naloxone, if necessary, can save a life," he adds.

Every public, private and parochial high school in Monmouth County is now equipt with this life-saving antidote, more commonly known as "Narcan", that police, paramedics, and firefighters carry, free of charge. Naloxone was credited with saving the life of an 11-year-old boy earlier this year.

Monmouth County Cheif of Detectives Micheal Pasterchick cited the latest reports being that young people have the greatest risk to be sucked into drug addiction. "We can't ignore the fact that kids are using and abusing drugs and dying at alarming rates," he adds.

Tom Mongelli contributed to this report. 

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