Resurrected, then Vanished – Dead End: Drug Overdoses in the US #features #bigstory

For the Quick Response Team of Fire Station 1 in downtown Portland, an overdose call before lunch is business as usual. A life in the U.S. is lost to drug use every 11 minutes.

The unit was set up as part of the town’s response to a deepening addiction epidemic, and the EMTs –emergency medical technicians— know exactly what to do. Upon arrival at the bus stop where the user is lying motionless on the pavement, they administer a shot of Narcan, a medication that’s proven very effective at reversing an opioid overdose.

“It usually takes 2 minutes before it really kicks in,” says Justin De Jesus, a veteran paramedic. Sure enough, after a few rubs on its chest, the individual comes back to life. He declines any type of treatment before heading back onto the streets. “Actually, if someone overdoses and dies, they will seek that same dealer because they know, in their words, “it’s the good stuff”. In their mind, they’ll just do a little less.”

Watch the rest of ‘Dead End: Drug Overdoses in the U.S.,’ the latest Big Story documentary 👉https://www.cgtnnow.com/videos/dead-end-drug-overdoses-in-the-u-s

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