Police in a southeastern Pennsylvania county will become the first in the state to carry a drug that treats heroin overdoses.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan said every police department and all 400 patrol cars in the county will be equipped with the antidote come Saturday, the day a new state law takes effect that makes the drug more available to the police and public.
Commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan, the drug reverses the effects of heroin and opioids like oxycodone. Police in Pennsylvania were not able to legally administer the antidote until now.
The Delaware County Daily Times reports county officials spent $21,000 on 900 dose kits.
A legislative study found deadly drug overdoses skyrocketed in the state between 1990 and 2011.
