Substance abuse is a problem all over the country, but also here locally. The Manitowoc County Health Department is trying to find ways that they can help keep the public safe. While on WOMT’s Be My Guest Program last week, Health Officer Stephanie Lambert noted that substance abuse is not just illegal drugs. “alcohol use in Manitowoc County is very high,” she explained. “We see a lot of hospitalizations and deaths related to… long-term, prolonged alcohol use. As well, we know opiates are a big issue.”
In an attempt to battle the opioid issue, Lambert tells us that the Health Department has become an official NARCAN distributor. “Which is something you can administer to someone if they are passed out due to an opioid overdose,”
For those who do not know what NARCAN is, Lambert said… “I am not the expert…but the receptors in your brain that get blocked by the opiates and deny you oxygen can get replaced by the NARCAN molecules and allows oxygen to return to your brain.”
If you need NARCAN, Lambert suggested you make an appointment with the Health Department by calling 920-683-4155. They are located at 1028 South 9th Street in Downtown Manitowoc.
