SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – Some business owners in downtown Springfield are expressing concern about easy access to Narcan, the life-saving drug that reverses opioid overdoses.
They say drug users are gathering in the downtown area, giving it a bad image. They also fear it could tempt children to try drugs.
Greene County has the fourth highest rate of drug overdoses in the state, so you may have seen newsstands all over the city and downtown. Contains plenty of free naloxone or Narcan to reduce the number of overdose deaths. On the surface, many people support the idea of an accessible intervention, but some, like Billiards owner Richard Vance, say there are some downsides.
“Honestly, it's hurting our neighborhood. I think it's more than helping our neighborhood,” Vance said.
Vance said he and other business owners have worked hard to promote downtown Springfield as a family-friendly spot. He worries the new push for free Narcan dispensers is counterproductive.
“There’s a Narcan vending machine right down the street from us,” Vance said. “And we are a company that is trying to grow the market in this area. And this is actually what brings people into our business that we don't want. We’re not here to serve species people.”
He says he worries about what ideas will come to his children's heads as they walk downtown.
“If a child knows they can come downtown and get free Narcan, why wouldn't they do that?” Vance asked. “We don't want kids to go through that. They're seduced by something like YouTube or TikTok and say, 'Hey, it's free, let's see what it's like.'” Just stick it in your nose.
However, experts have a different idea.
“I think if kids want to try drugs, they'll try drugs. Kids are rebellious,” said Ryan Paschall of Higher Ground Recovery Center. “And I think having Narcan readily available is a protection.”
Pascal is the treatment coordinator at Higher Ground Recovery in Springfield. As a former opioid addict, she knows firsthand the saving power of Narcan.
“I overdosed more than once,” Pascal recalls. “The paramedics used Narcan several times to bring me back. But then someone else had access to the free Narcan and used it on me. And if I could get that person to save my life… Otherwise, I would not have become a treatment coordinator and saved lives myself.”
Pascal said easy access to Narcan can be the difference between life and death.
“If you don't have access, you should wait for paramedics to arrive or take advantage of the opportunity to drive you to any part of the hospital,” Pascal said. “And those are just a few seconds you can't waste.”
If you or someone you know needs to find accessible Narcan, or just want to know where Narcan is, download the Revive 417 app. Includes a detailed map showing all free Narcan locations around Springfield.
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