Rep. LaVoy among those supporting naloxone use in Michigan schools

State Rep. Bill LaVoy, D-Monroe, who represents Sumpter Township, is among lawmakers who introduced legislation that would allow Michigan school districts to stock naloxone, an antidote used to treat an opioid overdose in an emergency situation.
Others introducing the bill on Feb. 18 were Rep. Charles Brunner, D-Bay City; Sen. Dale Zorn, R-Ida; and Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint.
According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury deaths in the U.S. and incidents have nearly quadrupled in Michigan since 1999.
“One unfortunate constant in our state seems to be prescription drug and opioid abuse, and I am glad that we are finally facing this problem head-on,” said Rep. Brunner, who has hosted numerous events across Bay County about the dangers of drug abuse. “While our main focus must be on prevention and treatment, having naloxone on hand in a crisis is crucially important. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to recognize the crisis facing our state and come together to pass this legislation and future legislative proposals to make prescription drug and opioid abuse a thing of the past.”
Specifically, the bills introduced would:
• Broaden access to naloxone by allowing school districts to obtain a prescription;
• Require schools that choose to stock naloxone to work with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and school health organizations to implement rules and onsite instruction for those administering it — licensed nurses or school employees;
• Specify that employees administering naloxone are immune from criminal and civil liability if they act in accordance with the rules and are legally allowed to administer the drug; and
• Require districts that choose to stock naloxone to annually report the number of pupils who were administered the drug to the MDE.
At least six other states — Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Delaware, Kentucky and Massachusetts — have already enacted laws similar to this legislation.
“The epidemic of prescription drug and opioid abuse has claimed many lives across Michigan — Monroe County has been particularly hard-hit,” Rep. LaVoy said. “As we finally give this crisis the attention it deserves, we have the ability to save the lives of not just the people at risk of an overdose, but those who are in the midst of one. Increasing access to naloxone is the right thing to do.”