New York State's Opioid Overdose Prevention Program

Drug overdose is a serious public health concern and opioid-related overdose has increased as a health threat. A life-saving law took effect on April 1, 2006, making it legal in New York State for non-medical persons to administer Naloxone to another individual to prevent an opioid/heroin overdose from becoming fatal. All registered opioid overdose programs are furnished Naloxone (Narcan) by the NYSDOH. It is a prescription medicine that reverses an overdose by blocking heroin (or other opioids) in the brain for 30 to 90 minutes.