CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY SECOND COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO.
R-16-100 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Dan Lewis and Diane Gibson
RESOLUTION
title
Creating A New Priority Objective Within The Public Safety Goal Relating To The Creation Of A Naloxone Protocol And Program For The Albuquerque Police Department (Lewis, Gibson)
body
CREATING A NEW PRIORITY OBJECTIVE WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY GOAL RELATING TO THE CREATION OF A NALOXONE PROTOCOL AND PROGRAM FOR THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHEREAS, Section 4-10(b) of the City Charter specifies that the Council shall annually review and adopt one-year objectives related to five-year goals for the City, which goals and objectives are to serve as a basis for budget formulation and other policies and legislation; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico leads the nation in deaths caused by overdose of opioid drugs and 536 deaths were caused by overdoses in 2014, a 19 percent increase over the previous year; and
WHEREAS, naloxone is a prescription drug that can counteract the effects of opioid drugs, effectively stopping an overdose; and
WHEREAS, the state passed legislation in 2016 to allow "standing orders" for naloxone, allowing pharmacists to dispense the drug at their pharmacy counters without a doctor's order so anyone can obtain naloxone at various locations throughout New Mexico without a prescription; and
WHEREAS, naloxone was successfully used in 900 cases of opioid overdose in 2014 and studies suggest that most patients addicted to heroin have been rescued by naloxone before they commit to medication-assisted treatment programs; and
WHEREAS, police officers may be the first responders on the scene of an opioid overdose and have an opportunity to save a life before a paramedic can be called out; and
WHEREAS, several New Mexico law-enforcement agencies have a naloxone protocol for their officers, including the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, Espanola Police D...
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