[T]he spread of drugs like heroin and fentanyl throughout Vermont is an ongoing issue without an obvious solution. But the opiate overdose reversal drug naloxone, or Narcan, has been proven to save lives.
Since 2013, the Vermont Department of Health has distributed free naloxone to a variety of drug treatment facilities around the state. A recent VTDigger analysis found that the bulk of that supply went to syringe exchanges — nonprofit programs originally established to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Syringe exchanges are uniquely positioned to serve populations that are prone to accidental overdose. But they also face unique challenges.
On this week’s podcast, Morgan True explains the role these small programs are playing in a broad crisis. Plus, Erin Mansfield describes what Health Department data does — and doesn’t — tell us about this story.
