ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office continues its fight against opioids. Inmates inside the Monroe County Corrections Facility will soon be trained and educated on the opioid reversal drug known as Narcan. Those enrolled in the facilities drug and alcohol program will be provided with the drug upon release.  

“Our part is to educate and motivate people for recovery and recognize that we have pretty serious issues going on in our community and that some folks will end up in situations where they’re around people who may overdose or around people in drug culture,” said Dr. Tisha Smith, director of inmate drug and alcohol programming.

“Being able to find a way out and utilize tools like Narcan while you’re trying to figure out what your next step is going to be is huge,” said Stephanie Forrester, Hope Dealers CEO.

Forrester has been administered Narcan in the past from overdosing and is just shy of her two year anniversary of sobriety. She says that more people should carry the reversal drug because we’re past the point of opioids just being an epidemic.  

“People are dropping dead on sidewalks and in stores. So many people think that when we’re actively using we think we can just get 'Narcaned' and come back. We don’t want that — 90 percent of the time we would rather die because we’re already feeling so low,” added Forrester.

It’s not just those inside the corrections facility that are being trained on how to administer Narcan. Some lifeguards, restaurant employees, gas station employees and librarians are all on board.

“When you overdose and you get 'Narcaned' you get so sick, you’re vomiting, it’s like the flu times 10. It’s not something where people are thinking they can just get 'Narcaned' if they overdose. That’s the farthest thing we’re thinking about when we’re in active addiction,” added Forrester.

Narcan was donated to the facility from the Monroe County Health Department. The training sessions will begin next week.