WASHINGTON — The U.S. is in the midst of a massive opioid epidemic, with tens of thousands of overdose deaths per year, and millions more addicted to illicit drugs.<br /><br />The New York Times reports that on Thursday, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued a rare advisory urging more people to carry the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone. The last advisory had been sent out 13 years ago, when women were told not to consume alcohol while pregnant.<br /><br />During an overdose, synthetic drugs like heroin or fentanyl flood the brain and lock onto the opiate receptors, causing breathing to become dangerously slow.<br /><br />According to the advisory from the Surgeon General's Office, Naloxone can reverse the effects of an overdose and comes in two forms — a nasal spray, and a syringe that should be injected into the muscles of the thigh, buttocks or arms.<br /><br />The emergency medication works by knocking the opioids out of the receptors in the brain — blocking and temporarily reversing their effects for 30 to 90 minutes.<br /><br />Police officers and medical responders are among those who have been using Naloxone to counter overdose deaths.<br /><br />The life-saving drug is also available at local pharmacies and local health departments.
