>> There's a push to get Narcan into the hands of Cook County's most vulnerable residents.

Public health officials hope they're getting naloxone campaign will destigmatize the overdose, reversing medicine.

One way they're doing it is with vending machines offering free Narcan 5 CTA stations throughout the city.

It's a six-month pilot program between the CTA and Cook County Health.

So joining us to discuss more are Dr.

Thomas never Chief Behavioral health officer for Cook County Health, Richard Vargas, director of outreach and engagement at the Westside Heroin and Opioid Task Force and Dan Loose take president and CEO of the Haymarket Center, the Substance Use Disorder facility.

Gentlemen, thanks to all of you for joining Thank you for having.

course.

there have been so far 480 confirmed opioid overdose deaths in Cook County since the start of this year.

We know it.

Those deaths they spikes in 2022.

That was during the pandemic 2002 deaths.

But so far this year or excuse me down to 1168 in 2024.

So last year.

Dan, I want to start with you, please to what do you attribute this sharp decline in the last couple of years?

I think the biggest.

Approach this has been the lifesaving medication that people are getting.

>> It is one of the biggest and best interventions that we have in preventing overdoses.

What we've seen at Haymarket Center is that we are using Narcan between 3 to 4 times a day for people coming in who are off the streets.

So that any kind of assistance in access to treatment, getting people, medications going to bend the needle.

But we're seeing 3, 4 times a day.

The >> is that common?

And does that compare to 2022, for example, when the number of deaths were so much higher, know what the difference is that we're seeing now is almost all of our cases and all fentanyl.

And that's where a single dose of Narcan has not been enough.

So typically would have between 3 and 4 person just to get them fight.

Richard, who who's most vulnerable to overdosing from opioid use.

So what we're seeing is that studies are showing largest group of individuals.

>> I think roughly about 50 something percent are African-American male.

Why do you think that Well, I think part of it is I think there's the exposure.

I think there's a lot of street use.

So when you combine kind of in areas that are kind of poverty, driven areas and street drug use those those numbers will go up.

>> Dr.

Peter, what are what are the chances that we're on track for another decline in the year 2025, when you look at, you know, 480 confirmed opioid overdose deaths so far this year and it's it's been trending downward and it's Certainly certainly encouraged by the early returns in project it out for the rest of the year.

>> This would mean that we would down 50% from the high.

>> over 2000 deaths in 2022. now that having been said that still nearly 1000 of our friends, neighbors and families who died in horrific epidemic.

And the fact we have such an amazing tool in the locks on we just want make sure we're getting that out.

To as many people as possible.

This is a a medicine that's highly effective in overdose.

It's easy to use.

It is inexpensive and it's safe enough to be available over the counter.

So it's it's a it's very powerful tool.

And I think it's been a large part of why we see in this decline over the last couple years.

>> We know that.

So we're looking at video now.

Cook County Health, your pilot program putting free Narcan in CTA stations.

This is not the stuff that you've got to the CTA stations concentrated on the south and West sides.

What was the catalyst for this program?

How likely are?

And we're looking at a map now of some of stations where they are.

But why transit white what we think it's important to have access to Narcan in public transit?

>> because a lot of people use transit.

And so we want to have the medication available where where the population of folks are.

And obviously lots of people take the CTA every day.

And so this has been in addition to having Narcan or naloxone, Narcan, a seal trade name available in all of our sites in Cook County Health and at the jail and off county courthouse is it just makes makes sense to go where people are and to get it get in the hands of as many people as possible.

Not just people who are using opioids but family friends, people who may come in contact with somebody who may have overdosed.

>> Richard, you've witnessed people that you're close struggled with substance abuse substance use.

How did how did that experience influence the work that you do today?

>> Well, because is you're experiencing individuals who are having overdose.

There's kind of this like hopelessness, like, you know, what can we do seen this in these things happen?

And I think people kind of experience this kind of feel enough that they can't do anything about it.

But that's the whole great purpose of naloxone.

It really is a lifesaving overdose reversal medication and they should be in every home, every neighborhood and every community because we can't really just look at street drug use.

People use opioid related pain medications in the home.

So again, if a person is using a pain medication opioid related pain medication, naloxone should be president with that in that House bill.

And of course, to be clear, you know, the stuff that you might find in the home, sometimes it is the street used.

But sometimes it is.

You know, it's been prescribed in U.S.

a kid in the house to get their hands And you never know where you may have a senior who may be using it and may more than you because he was or double down and take more.

>> So again, if not no locks on is nearby and present, you can save that life.

And what's important is Narcan isn't just for the patient.

Narcan should be for friends, family relatives.

They sure this is a lifesaving tool that if you are around individuals.

>> That are at high risk curing our can on you.

It could be that one step that saves a life.

>> course, we when you will announce this last week, we heard from a mother who had lost her son to an opioid overdose on CTA on public transit.

Dan, there is a lot of stigma around drug addiction.

How we break shame.

Education is one important intervention, but it it's a multi problem and fascinating issue.

>> Everything about this is the only medical disorder that's both criminalized as well as funded, pour because of stigma.

The number one cause of death in the state of Illinois is alcohol related deaths, but less than 0, 0.1% of the of the state budget goes towards that.

So stick.

My is is killing people and preventing them from going on to get help.

So they're getting they're getting negative feedback from pharmacists.

They're getting medic in the feedback from the health care industry.

They're getting negative feedback from friends and family.

This is a highly stigmatized medical issue that through education and understanding that treatment works.

Narcan is just one piece of this.

The back end is being able to really work with treatment providers to get that individual into treatment because Narcan is very time-limited.

So Narcan can wear off and that overdose can continue.

So getting them into medical services, getting them into a community-based provider is key.

And I will tell you, this is the one thing the President Preckwinkle was laser focused on 2 out her administration is health care for Cook County.

She is locked arms with medical providers and community based providers providing a single intervention and getting them into treatment is absolutely critical.

But that's the way you're going to beat stigma.

So we're also seeing a lot of non opioids sedatives being mixed in with some of the drugs that were fighting on the but beyond fentanyl and xylazine, which is also known as a strength, Dr another.

We're also seeing something else that I can't pronounce yet.

>> That isn't.

>> Yes, And it will.

I guess my point the reason I raise that is because of Newark and does not necessarily work to reverse some of those other drugs.

Narcan can still be valuable in the instance of overdose.

>> Yes, even in the even in the case most of the most of what's on the street now, even as heroin.

doesn't have heroin anymore.

It's under 40% now in city Chicago, close to 90% of it has not knowing it and close to 20% has.

Night as Enes, which are actually more potent.

Even then fentanyl and yeah, important note that it the naloxone does still work and it's not to not to be avoided.

But if we haven't even a small bump in the amount of night as Enes in a in a supply and the given months is an illicit market that could be devastating.

it's obviously a major concern all of you.

Have your work cut out for But >> keep an eye out for that in our can vending machines at