GRANTS, N.M. – It is not uncommon for Cibola’s first responders to be called to the scene of an active overdose, or for people to be left at the door of the emergency room in the middle of an overdose. An effort by Grants local Lynette Gurule seeks to make the life-saving power of Narcan more accessible to the public. A revolutionary tool in the War Against Drugs, Narcan shuts off chemical receptors in the brain to stop an active opioid overdose. Recognizing that Narcan is not available widely across Cibola County, Gurule decided to take matters into her own hands. Working with her professors at Western New Mexico University, and City of Grants Municipal Judge Elise Larson, Gurule was able to set up a training session teaching how to use the spray. Attendees will have the option to receive their own Narcan to keep available.
“This is about empowering people, this is about saving lives,” Gurule said.
The need
As the opioid crisis worsens and deaths sharply rise in the War Against Drugs, accessibility to life saving materials is limited to first responders. With this program, Gurule seeks to place life-saving power in everyone’s hands.
Training will be held on November 3 for use of Narcan from 10:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., with another block of training beginning at 2:30.
Gurule will host a specific training for businesses who wish to carry Narcan on Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For Gurule, this mission to save lives against opioid use is personal. Her own mother was lost to an opioid overdose; understanding the damage such things can do to an individual, their family and their community, Gurule rose to meet the need she saw. With life-saving tools more widely available, she intends to save others from the same heartbreak.
Saving lives or enabling?
Judge Larson has heard it all in her courtroom, including objections to Narcan where people complain about it being a tool that saves lives, but more, enables a drug abuser to continue using. “These are valid concerns,” she said, “that’s the wrong mindset to have. People are using whether we’re doing something about it or not.” Larson and Gurule explained that Cibola could ignore the issue while more and more residents are lost to overdose, or be prepared and save lives to help get people back on track.
Gurule explained that not every addict fits the stereotypical mold of a “junkie” and that many people who abuse opioids are highly functioning, average, everyday people. “It’s important to get away from that stereotype,” she said, “my mom ran a business, she was just a regular person.”
Larson and Gurule agree, this effort is about empowering Cibola County to save lives. This is an effort which both hope to see impact the youth, by educating Cibola’s students about the dangers of drug use and how to save lives, Cibola’s future leaders are equipped with tools they’ll need to prevent tragedy, and the education to guide their peers away from drugs.
What is Narcan?
Narcan is a nasal spray which stops and reverses an ongoing overdose. It has no adverse side effects and there is no legal liability for the person administering the Narcan, according to Judge Larson.
In the early 1960s scientists discovered that naloxone could be used to stop adverse opioid interactions – like an overdose. By 1972 the Food and Drug Administration had cleared naloxone for use by injection after confirming its safety and effectiveness. In 2019 the FDA approved the first generic naloxone spray for use by non-medical professionals.
Today naloxone is known as Narcan, a nasal spray with the power to save lives.
Narcan works by turning off chemical receptors in the brain that accept harmful chemicals which trigger an overdose – essentially flipping the off-switch to the part of the brain that is sick so it can reboot.
Training will be held on November 3 for use of Narcan from 10:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., with another block of training beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Gurule will host a specific training for businesses who wish to carry Narcan on Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For additional information contact (505)658-4729.